Absorption and Release of Hydrogen Gas in Body

Z. Ye Department of Navy Aeromedicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China Abstract The definition of inert gases is different in the fields of chemistry and physiology. Physiologically, inert gases mainly include hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen and refer to those that cannot react with other substances in human body although hydrogen is a highly active gas in chemistry. Under normal condition, the human body is saturated by nitrogen. When we inhale another inert gas at a high pressure or normal pressure, the new inert gas may enter the human body in the drive of pressure gradient force. The law of saturation and desaturation of inert gases has been summarized by Haldane, a Scottish physiologist. In this chapter, we discuss the saturation and desaturation of inert gases, with nitrogen as an example. Drinking hydrogen water or injection with hydrogen saline has similar pattern in the absorption and washout of hydrogen in human body to the inhalation of hydrogen except for the high velocity for hydrogen. Also, since hydrogen diffuse rapidly, it could release through skin when the concentration of hydrogen is out of capacity.