Over the last year, we’ve seen recovery become a core component of fitness and wellness. Contrast therapies have taken over, becoming the daily norm, all to calm excessive body inflammation, and allow it to heal and function more optimally. While inflammation sounds like the enemy, it’s important to understand how much is too much. “Point inflammation is a normal, natural mechanism of the body to prevent it from getting attacked by external pathogens,” explains Dr. Rashmi Ambastha, director of spa - spa, wellness and recreation, Fairmont Mumbai. These small doses of inflammation in the body take place to allow it to recover from injury or infection — this is the good and essential kind. When the inflammation continues to linger in the body for a prolonged duration, constantly fighting stress, that’s when it causes more harm than good. “Excessive inflammation makes our immune system weaker and creates a fight or flight environment. If your body is unable to recover, you start to experience aches and pains, hormone imbalance, skin issues, and your mental performance is compromised. What we eat, drink, the air we breathe, our thoughts, and sleep quality, all impact our body’s inflammation levels,” says Dr. Ambastha.
Enter: Hydrogen therapy, wherein the simple act of inhaling pure hydrogen molecules for 20-40 minutes — customised to your requirements — benefits your body in a multitude of ways. “Hydrogen therapy is one of the simplest ways to reduce inflammation at its root, without adding stress to the body,” explains Dr. Rohan Goyal, MBBS, founder and regenerative medicine specialist at Nuvana, a Mumbai-based longevity and wellness clinic. “The hydrogen molecules act as a gentle antioxidant that help to reduce harmful free radicals in the body and support your cells in functioning better, especially when there’s underlying oxidative stress. The idea isn’t to block inflammation completely, but to bring it back to a healthier balance.”
This is one of the few wellness treatments that feels like nothing is really happening to you, but you notice benefits over time. A therapist sets you up with a nasal tube, and you then continue to inhale the concentrated hydrogen molecules through it for the duration of your session. It doesn’t feel like anything, just normal breathing. You can use your phone, get on a work call, respond to emails, whatever you’d like, and there’s no down time at all.
The frequency that you should follow for hydrogen therapy is best discussed with the therapist administering it, based on your overall health concerns. “A lot of what we’re seeing today is low-grade, chronic inflammation driven by lifestyle. Therapies like this are helpful because they’re simple, non-invasive, and can support the body without being aggressive,” says Dr. Goyal. As for the benefits: “Most people notice better energy, reduced inflammation, and improved recovery. Some also feel clearer mentally. It’s very well tolerated, and when administered properly, there are no significant side effects to worry about,” he says. While the treatment helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress by itself, Dr. Goyal recommends having a larger treatment plan in place for the best possible benefits. “The purpose of hydrogen therapy is less about suppressing symptoms and more about helping the body return to balance. At Nuvana, we often combine it with IV therapy, ozone, red light therapy, and targeted nutrition to get more meaningful, long-term results.”
