Hydrogen Water Shows No Benefit for Bladder Pain in Clinical Trial
- Authors
- Seiji Matsumoto, Tomohiro Ueda, Hidehiro Kakizaki
- Journal
- Urology
- Year
- 2013
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.urology.2012.10.026
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Neutral
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Body System
- Urinary
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water did not significantly help most patients with bladder pain syndrome compared to a placebo.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water did not reduce interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome symptoms more effectively than placebo water in this randomized controlled trial.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich water could help people with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (a chronic condition causing bladder pain and urinary urgency). In a controlled study of 28 participants who received either hydrogen-rich water or regular water for 8 weeks, both groups experienced reduced bladder pain. However, hydrogen-rich water worked no better than placebo water overall, though it did help a small group (11%) of patients significantly.
Practical Takeaway
This human study suggests hydrogen-rich water is not an effective treatment for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome as a whole, though the small sample size (28 people) and the fact that both groups improved means more research would be needed to fully understand its role. The finding that a small subset benefited suggests individual responses may vary, but current evidence does not support using it as a standard treatment for this condition.
Abstract (excerpt)
To investigate the efficacy of hydrogen-rich water for the treatment of patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of hydrogen-rich water in patients with IC/PBS. Inclusion criteria…