Hydrogen Water Protects Athletes from Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress

Authors
Journal
Medical Gas Research
Year
DOI
10.4103/2045-9912.279979
Study Type
Human
Outcome
Positive
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
Japan
Health Condition
Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress
Body System
Muscular

TL;DR

Drinking hydrogen-rich water helped maintain the body's antioxidant levels and may prevent muscle fatigue during consecutive days of intense exercise.

Key Finding

Hydrogen-rich water suppressed the decline in blood antioxidant capacity that occurred over three consecutive days of intense exercise, while placebo water did not provide this protection.

Summary

This study tested whether drinking hydrogen-rich water could help reduce oxidative stress (cellular damage from intense exercise) in eight physically active men who performed strenuous sprint exercises over three consecutive days. While both groups performed equally well, men who drank hydrogen-rich water maintained better antioxidant levels (the body's natural defense against cellular damage) compared to those who drank regular water, suggesting hydrogen water may help protect against exercise-induced stress.

Practical Takeaway

This small human study suggests hydrogen water may help maintain the body's antioxidant defenses during intense training periods, though the practical benefit for exercise recovery remains unclear since actual exercise performance and muscle fatigue symptoms were not different between groups. More research with larger groups and longer follow-up is needed to determine whether this antioxidant protection translates to meaningful improvements in training outcomes or recovery.

Abstract

Repeated sprint exercise can interfere with intramuscular redox balance and cause systemic oxidative stress and muscle damage. There is growing evidence that molecular hydrogen counteracts oxidative and/or inflammatory responses. Therefore, we investigated the effects of molecular hydrogen-rich water (HW) on muscle performance and oxidative stress markers induced by strenuous exercise. A single-blind, crossover, randomized controlled trial has been designed. Eight male volunteers completed two 3-day consecutive exercise tests under two conditions: HW and placebo water (PW). The exercise test included a countermovement jump, maximal voluntary isometric contraction of knee extensors, and sprint cycling. The sprint cycling exercise was comprised three repetitions of 10-second maximal pedaling against a resistance of 7.5% body mass and 110-second active rest (no-load pedaling). Before and after the exercise test, participants drank the 500 mL of HW (5.14 ± 0.03 ppm in H2 concentration) or PW (0.00 ± 0.00 ppm). At 7 hours before the first exercise test (Day 1), as baseline, and 16 hours after the exercise test on each day, blood samples were obtained. Exercise performances in both conditions were not significantly different over 3 consecutive days. In PW trial, relative changes in biological antioxidant potential/diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites, as an index of systemic antioxidant potential, from baseline gradually decreased as the day passed. However, HW suppressed the reduction in biological antioxidant potential/diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites observed in PW. Drinking HW contributed to the maintenance of the redox status during consecutive days of strenuous exercise and might help prevent accumulative muscular fatigue. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Yamanashi, Japan (approval No. H26-008) on December 17, 2014.