Hydrogen Water Shows Promise for Women with Panic Disorder
- Authors
- Ana Belén Fernández-Serrano, Francisco José Moya-Faz, Cesar Augusto Giner Alegría, Juan Carlos Fernández Rodríguez, Jose Francisco Soriano Guilabert, Martín del Toro Mellado
- Journal
- Health Psychology Research
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.52965/001c.35468
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Spain
- Health Condition
- Panic Disorder
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water along with psychological therapy did not significantly improve anxiety or depression more than therapy alone in women with panic disorder, but it did help reduce body inflammation and pain.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water combined with psychological treatment did not reduce panic disorder severity more effectively than psychological treatment alone, though it showed modest additional benefits for inflammation and physical health markers.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-rich water combined with psychological treatment worked better than psychological treatment alone for women with panic disorder (a condition involving sudden, intense fear). Over three months, one group received psychological therapy plus hydrogen water, while another received therapy plus a placebo (inactive substance). While hydrogen water didn't improve panic symptoms more than placebo, it did show some additional benefits: it slightly reduced inflammation markers in the blood and improved body pain and physical health. However, psychological treatment by itself was responsible for most of the improvements in anxiety, depression, and stress hormones.
Practical Takeaway
This study suggests that while hydrogen water may have some anti-inflammatory effects, it does not enhance the core benefits of psychological treatment for panic disorder in women. For someone considering hydrogen water as a supplement to therapy for anxiety, the evidence here indicates that psychological treatment is the primary driver of symptom improvement. The study's findings are limited to women with panic disorder specifically, and larger studies would be needed to determine whether hydrogen water offers meaningful clinical benefits beyond what standard treatment provides.
Abstract (excerpt)
Research suggests that inflammation is an important mediator in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. In addition, women are more likely to develop an anxiety and depression disorder, in comorbidity with a wide spectrum of diseases related to the immune system. In recent years, hydrogen-rich…