Hydrogen Water Plus Exercise Reduces Belly Fat in Metabolic Syndrome
- Authors
- Reiko Moribe, Marina Minami, Ryoji Hirota, Naw Awn J-P, Shigeru Kabayama, Masamitsu Eitoku, Keiko Yamasaki, Hajime Kuroiwa, Narufumi Suganuma
- Journal
- Antioxidants
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.3390/antiox13020145
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Body System
- Endocrine
TL;DR
Drinking electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW) while engaging in high levels of physical activity may help reduce waist size and combat oxidative stress in people with metabolic syndrome or pre-metabolic syndrome.
Key Finding
People with metabolic syndrome who drank electrolyzed hydrogen water and engaged in high physical activity showed significantly greater reductions in waist circumference and suppressed increases in oxidative stress markers compared to those drinking filtered water.
Summary
Researchers studied whether drinking electrolyzed hydrogen water (water treated with electricity to add hydrogen) could help people with metabolic syndrome—a condition involving weight gain, high blood sugar, and other health problems. Over 3 months, 181 people with metabolic or pre-metabolic syndrome either drank hydrogen water or regular filtered water. Those who drank hydrogen water and exercised regularly showed greater reductions in waist circumference and lower levels of oxidative stress markers (signs of cellular damage from harmful molecules) compared to those who drank filtered water.
Practical Takeaway
This 3-month study suggests that hydrogen water combined with regular exercise may help reduce waist circumference and oxidative stress in people with metabolic syndrome. However, the benefit appeared strongest in those who exercised regularly, and the study did not compare hydrogen water to no water at all, so it's unclear how much benefit comes from the hydrogen water alone versus the exercise. More research is needed to confirm these findings and determine if similar effects occur in other populations.
Abstract
We studied the effect of three months' use of electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW, Electrolyzed Hydrogen Water conditioner produced by Nihon Trim Co., Ltd.) on metabolic and pre-metabolic syndrome groups. This research was carried out jointly by Susaki City; Nihon Trim Co., Ltd.; and Kochi University as part of a local revitalization project with health as a keyword. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group trial was conducted to evaluate the clinical impact of EHW on participants who suffered from metabolic syndrome or pre-metabolic syndrome. EHW was produced via electrolysis using a commercially available apparatus (Nihon Trim Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan). During exercise, oxidative stress increases, and active oxygen species increase. In this study, we examined 181 subjects with metabolic syndrome or pre-metabolic syndrome. Among the group that drank EHW for 3 months, those who also engaged in a high level of physical activity showed a significant difference in waist circumference reduction. Although no significant difference was observed, several positive results were found in the participants who engaged in a high level of physical activity. Urinary 8-OHdG, urinary nitrotyrosine, HbA1c, and blood glucose levels increased in the filtered water (FW) group but decreased in the EHW group. High-sensitivity CRP increased less in the EHW group. 8-Isoprostane decreased more in the EHW group. In subgroup analysis, the EHW group showed a significantly greater reduction in waist circumference than the FW group only when controlled for high physical activity. Based on the result, we suggest that, among participants in the study who suffered from metabolic syndrome and pre-metabolic syndrome in which the level of active oxygen species is said to be higher than in healthy subjects, the group that consumed EHW and also engaged in a high level of physical activity experienced a suppressed or reduced increase in active oxygen species.