Hydrogen Water Acts Like Insulin to Help Cells Absorb Sugar
- Authors
- M. Oda, K. Kusumoto, K. Teruya, T. Hara, T. Maki, S. Kabayama, Y. Katakura, K. Otsubo, S. Morisawa, H. Hayashi, Y. Ishii, S. Shirahata
- Journal
- Animal Cell Technology: Products from Cells, Cells as Products
- Year
- 1999
- DOI
- 10.1007/0-306-46875-1_90
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Body System
- Endocrine
TL;DR
Electrolyzed-reduced water (ERW) can boost glucose uptake in muscle and fat cells by counteracting the damaging effects of oxidative stress, potentially helping to manage type 2 diabetes.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed-reduced water stimulated glucose uptake in muscle and fat cells through an insulin-independent mechanism involving activation of a signaling pathway (PI-3 kinase) and movement of glucose transporters to the cell surface.
Summary
Researchers tested electrolyzed-reduced water (water treated with electricity to add hydrogen) in lab-grown muscle and fat cells. They found that this water helped cells take up glucose (blood sugar) more effectively by reducing harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and activating a cellular pathway that normally responds to insulin. This happened even without insulin being present, suggesting the water mimicked some of insulin's effects on glucose uptake.
Practical Takeaway
This is early laboratory research in isolated cells, not in humans or animals, so it's far too preliminary to draw conclusions about health benefits. While the mechanism is interesting, cell culture studies often don't translate to real-world effects. Much more research—including animal and human studies—would be needed before any claims about hydrogen water and diabetes management could be considered.
Abstract
In the type 2 diabetes, it has become clear that reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause reduction of glucose uptake by inhibiting the insulin-signaling pathway in muscle cells and adipocytes. We demonstrated that electrolyzed-reduced water (ERW) scavenges ROS and protects DNA from oxidative damage1). Here we found that ERW scavenges ROS in insulin-responsive L6 myotubes and mouse3T3/L1 adipocytes. Uptake of 1-deoxy-D- glucose (2-DOG) into both L6 cells and 3T3/L1 cells was stimulated by ERW in the presence or absence of insulin. This insulin-like activity of ERW was mediated by the activation of PI-3 kinase, resulting in stimulation of translocation of glucose transporter GLUT4 from microsome to plasma membrane. These results suggest that ERW may be useful to improve insulin-independent type 2 diabetes.