The Influence of Molecular Hydrogen Therapies in Managing the Symptoms of Acute and Chronic COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) that emerged as a novel pathogen of global concern in the latter stages of 2019. COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease which can be transmitted through aerosol droplets and surface-to-host contact. Both symptomology and the severity of disease can vary wildly between individuals, from asymptomatic but infectious, to those that require critical care. Due to the neoteric emergence of SARS-CoV-2, current treatment strategies are not yet well developed and rely on the repurposing of such medications as antiviral, corticosteroid, immunosuppressant and oxygen (O2) therapies. However, the minimal efficacy of these interventions is concerning. In addition to the acute infection that prevails, it is estimated that up to 30% of adults who contract COVID-19 develop chronic symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks. It is also estimated that 15% of children aged 2-16 years have developed long-lasting sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. According to recent clinical data, molecular hydrogen (H2) and oxy-hydrogen (H2/O2) therapies successfully remediated the debilitating effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults. By acting as an effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agent, it is reported that H2 administration can improve recovery through abatement of the hyperinflammatory cytokine cascade and reduction of inhalation resistance in patients with mild-moderate disease symptoms. In this review, the authors investigate the clinical and empirical evidence relating to treating the symptoms of both acute and chronic COVID-19 with H2-containing therapeutics.