Hydrogen Water Shows Anti-Aging Effects in Lab Study
Effects of Hydrogenized Water on Intracellular Biomarkers for Antioxidants, Glucose Uptake, Insulin Signaling and SIRT 1 and Telomerase Activity
Research hubs: Oxidative Stress · Endocrine System · Digestive System
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Robert Settineri, Jin Ji, Chunlan Luo, Rita R. Ellithorpe, Gonzalo Ferreira de Mattos, Steven Rosenblatt, James LaValle, Antonio Jinenez, Shigeo Ohta, Garth L. Nicolson
- Journal
- American Journal of Food and Nutrition
- Year
- 2016
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Water, Commercial (Izumio)
- H₂ concentration
- 2.6 ppm
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 3 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- United States
TL;DR
Drinking water with added hydrogen (hydrogenized water) has been found to have antioxidant effects, potentially beneficial for aging and various health conditions, without any known side effects.
Key Finding
In laboratory cell studies, hydrogen water demonstrated dose-dependent antioxidant effects and increased SIRT1 expression and telomerase activity (aging-related biomarkers) by up to 148%, though these results have not been tested in living humans.
Summary
Researchers tested a commercial hydrogen water product on human cells grown in the laboratory to see if it could act as an antioxidant (a substance that protects cells from damage) and affect aging-related processes. The hydrogen water reduced cellular damage from harmful molecules in a dose-dependent way (more hydrogen water = more protection), decreased glucose uptake in intestinal cells, boosted insulin signaling in muscle cells, and increased two markers associated with aging (SIRT1 expression and telomerase activity) by up to 148% in blood vessel cells.
Practical Takeaway
While these laboratory findings are intriguing, they represent early-stage cell culture research and cannot yet be applied to human health. The study did not involve human subjects, so it's unknown whether these cellular effects would occur in the body or translate to actual health benefits. More research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before drawing conclusions about hydrogen water's real-world effects on aging or disease.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hydrogen has been shown in several clinical trials to be completely safe without adverse events and there are no warnings in the literature of its toxicity or adverse effects during long-term exposure. Molecular hydrogen has proven useful and convenient as a novel antioxidant and modifier of gene…