Can Hydrogen-Enriched Water Improve Your Health?
Numerous different types of water are touted for their health benefits. While previously, I’ve discussed the interesting research around magnetized water (original blog and an update), I approach a lot of the claims around treated water with an open-minded skepticism. Numerous companies are obviously trying to cash in on these different types of health-promoting-water products and financial motivations are frequently involved.
Hydrogen-enriched water is another recent entrant on the scene of water products. The theory goes that hydrogen can act as a powerful antioxidant, and due to its small size, it can easily penetrate tissues more easily than other types of antioxidants. By dissolving hydrogen gas in drinking water, you can consume increased amounts of hydrogen which can then provide health benefits.
The original study that started the hydrogen water phenomenon didn’t even use water as a carrier. A rat model of stroke was used where blood to the brain is blocked for 90 minutes (Ohsawa 2007). When blood flow is restored, free radicals cause significant damage to the brain tissues. Antioxidants can help to minimize this damage. In the study, after the induced-stroke, rats were given air enriched with hydrogen or normal air to breathe. Rats that breathed the hydrogen-rich air had reduced brain damage and improved recovery. Due to the findings, interest in hydrogen as an antioxidant-type treatment began to grow.
Clinical Trials of Hydrogen-Enriched Water
Since hydrogen gas is explosive, inhaling hydrogen gas entails risks. As a simple approach to minimize the risk for a hydrogen explosion, hydrogen gas can be dissolved in water and consumed. Relatively simple and safe approaches are available for adding hydrogen to water, making it more accessible to consumers. These hydrogen-enriched waters have been studied in several different clinical settings to explore their benefits.
Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
Diabetes is a common condition where the body can no longer regulate blood sugar levels properly. One of the first clinical trials of hydrogen-rich water was on diabetic patients or patients with prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) (Kajiyama 2008). After two months of consuming just under one liter of hydrogen water daily, the diabetic patients had beneficial changes in low density (LDL) cholesterol. In four of the six patients with prediabetes, glucose tolerance normalized.
Metabolic syndrome is a condition that involves elevated blood sugar levels (as seen in diabetes), combined with high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and high cholesterol or triglycerides. In a non-placebo controlled study, 20 patients with metabolic syndrome consumed 1.5 to 2 liters of hydrogen-rich water per day (Nakao 2010). After two months, the patients showed improved antioxidant status and cholesterol levels. Blood sugar levels were not improved.
A meta-analysis of hydrogen-rich water for metabolic disorders found that hydrogen water appears to have modest benefits on cholesterol levels (Jamialahmadi 2024). However, if hydrogen-rich water has benefits on blood sugar, it’s likely they occur in early cases, before the advent of full blown diabetes.
Athletic Performance
Free radicals are reactive molecules that can cause damage throughout the body. Exercise causes increased free radicals which can decrease athletic performance. By reducing free radical production during exercise, athletic performance may be enhanced. Since hydrogen acts as an antioxidant, it can help to counter free radicals.
A number of clinical trials have explored whether or not hydrogen-rich water can improve antioxidant status following exercise. A meta-analysis of the available research found that hydrogen-rich water had modest effects, mostly through increasing antioxidant defenses, especially in cases of intermittent or occasional exercise (Li 2024). Hydrogen water did not appear to reduce the level of free radicals during regular exercise-induced stress, so again, benefits overall were modest.
Gum Disease
Probably the strongest evidence for drinking hydrogen-rich water is for patients with gum disease. Gum disease (periodontal disease) involves inflammation and excess bacteria growing around the base of the teeth and gums. A meta-analysis of 17 studies found that hydrogen-rich water decreased gum inflammation, free radicals and bacterial spread in patients with gum disease (Bai 2022).
Liver Conditions
A study in liver infection with the hepatitis B virus found that hydrogen-rich water improved antioxidant status, but only provided non-significant improvements in liver enzymes and virus levels when compared with placebo (Xia 2013).
Fatty liver disease is a common condition typically caused by dietary excesses that lead to accumulation of fat in the liver that can eventually cause liver failure (Korovljev 2019). In a single clinical trial, hydrogen-rich water appears to reduce fat accumulation in the liver and decrease liver inflammation as measured by liver enzymes.
Aging
A six-month intervention of ½ liter of hydrogen-rich water per day in adults 70 years old or older suggested potential benefits (Zanini 2021). After six months, participants who drank the hydrogen water had cells with longer telomeres, a marker of reduced aging with along with some improved physical functionality.
Increased Uric Acid and Gout
A study in patients with elevated blood levels of uric acid, a cause of gout, found improvements in uric acid levels that correlated with the amount of hydrogen-rich water consumed (Wu 2024). Subjects consumed either two bottles (666 mL) or three bottles (1000 mL) of hydrogen-rich water. The higher consumption modestly decreased uric acid levels, although on average, uric acid levels were still above normal.
Myopathy
Myopathy is any condition that affects the muscles and the ability to make voluntary movements. A study on hydrogen-enriched water showed no clinical benefits and modest improvements in cellular and blood markers in relation to its consumption (Ito 2011).
COVID-19
As a respiratory illness, COVID-19 causes inflammation and clotting that, when severe, can lead to organ damage and death. Studies on hydrogen-rich water for COVID suggest some modest benefits. A small study in patients with acute COVID-19 found that some clotting and inflammatory markers were reduced by consuming 1.5 liters of hydrogen-rich water daily (Milovancev 2022).
A significant percentage of people who are infected by COVID suffer from chronic symptoms, including fatigue and trouble breathing. In a study on long COVID patients, hydrogen-rich water decreased fatigue but did not affect or ease breathing difficulty (Tan 2024).
Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain
A trial published in 2013 for interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder condition showed no benefits with the consumption of hydrogen-rich water (Matsumoto 2013).
Conclusion
Hydrogen-rich water does appear to provide some antioxidant benefits that may be relevant for improving cholesterol levels, and improving markers of inflammation and antioxidant defenses. However, most of the benefits reported are modest. That being said, hydrogen-rich water appears to be quite safe, with minimal side effects, although it should be approached with caution in patients with increased eye pressure or glaucoma, since it does appear to increase internal eye pressure (Najmanova 2023).
For individuals interested in consuming hydrogen rich water, it can be readily produced from pure magnesium metal sticks that are submerged in water before consumption. Just make sure the magnesium rods are purchased from a reputable source and contain almost pure magnesium.
