Hydrogen Water Boosts Antioxidant Enzymes in Healthy Men
- Authors
- Tatjana Trivic, Matilda Vojnovic, Patrik Drid, Sergej M. Ostojic
- Journal
- Current Topics in Neutraceutical Research
- Year
- 2017
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Serbia
- Health Condition
- Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Circulatory
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water improved the body's antioxidant defenses and reduced oxidative stress in healthy men compared to regular tap water.
Key Finding
After 4 weeks, men drinking hydrogen-rich water showed significantly higher levels of protective antioxidant enzymes and 25.8% lower levels of a cellular damage marker compared to those drinking placebo water.
Summary
This small study gave 16 healthy young men either hydrogen-rich water or regular tap water for 4 weeks to see if it affected their body's natural defense systems against cellular damage. The men who drank hydrogen-rich water showed increases in two protective enzymes (superoxide dismutase and glutathione) and had lower levels of a marker of cellular damage (malondialdehyde) compared to the placebo group, but the researchers don't yet understand how hydrogen water produces these effects.
Practical Takeaway
This pilot study in healthy young men suggests hydrogen-rich water may influence antioxidant markers in the blood, but the study is very small and short-term, and it's unclear whether these changes translate to actual health benefits. Larger and longer studies are needed before drawing conclusions about whether hydrogen water is useful for preventing oxidative stress in real-world conditions.
Abstract (excerpt)
Molecular hydrogen is an experimental therapeutic agent in biomedicine, however its effects on serum antioxidant markers are poorly described so far. Sixteen healthy men (age 24.6 ± 3.6 years, height 183.3 ± 4.4 cm; weight 83.5 ± 12. 5 kg) participated in this randomized, double blind…