Hydrogen Water Speeds Muscle Recovery in Elite Athletes After Training
- Authors
- Barbora Sladeckova, Michal Botek, Jakub Krejci, Michal Valenta, Andrew McKune, Filip Neuls, Iva Klimesova
- Journal
- Frontiers in Physiology
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.3389/fphys.2024.1321160
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Czech Republic
- Health Condition
- Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage
- Body System
- Muscular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water helped elite fin swimmers recover faster and feel less sore after intense training.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water reduced muscle damage markers by 18% and decreased muscle soreness perception by 19% while improving jump height by 3% at 12 hours post-exercise in elite swimmers.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen-rich water (water infused with molecular hydrogen gas) could help elite swimmers recover better after two intense training sessions on the same day. Twelve competitive swimmers either drank hydrogen-rich water or a placebo for 4 days total, then performed a morning sprint workout and afternoon race. Compared to placebo, those who drank hydrogen-rich water showed less muscle damage (measured by a blood enzyme called creatine kinase), reported less muscle soreness, and had better jumping performance 12 hours after their afternoon session.
Practical Takeaway
This small study of elite athletes suggests hydrogen-rich water may support recovery after intense back-to-back workouts, though results were measured only at the 12-hour mark. The findings are promising but limited to a specific population (competitive swimmers) and a specific training scenario (two sessions in one day), so it's unclear how well these results would apply to other athletes or training patterns. More research in larger and more diverse groups would be needed to draw broader conclusions.
Abstract
Purpose: Molecular hydrogen has been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, ergogenic, and recovery-enhancing effects. This study aimed to assess the effect of molecular hydrogen administration on muscle performance, damage, and perception of soreness up to 24 h of recovery after two strenuous training sessions performed on the same day in elite fin swimmers. Methods: Eight females (mean ± SD; age 21.5 ± 5.0 years, maximal oxygen consumption 45.0 ± 2.5 mL.kg-1.min-1) and four males (age 18.9 ± 1.3 years, maximal oxygen consumption 52.2 ± 1.7 mL.kg-1.min-1) performed 12 × 50 m sprints in the morning session and a 400 m competitive performance in the afternoon session. Participants consumed hydrogen-rich water (HRW) or placebo 3 days before the sessions (1,260 mL/day) and 2,520 mL on the experimental day. Muscle performance (countermovement jump), muscle damage (creatine kinase), and muscle soreness (100 mm visual analogue scale) were measured during the experimental day and at 12 and 24 h after the afternoon session. Results: HRW compared to placebo reduced blood activity of creatine kinase (156 ± 63 vs. 190 ± 64 U.L-1, p = 0.043), muscle soreness perception (34 ± 12 vs. 42 ± 12 mm, p = 0.045), and improved countermovement jump height (30.7 ± 5.5 cm vs. 29.8 ± 5.8 cm, p = 0.014) at 12 h after the afternoon session. Conclusion: Four days of HRW supplementation is a promising hydration strategy for promoting muscle recovery after two strenuous training sessions performed on the same day in elite fin swimmers. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT05799911.