Hydrogen Water Boosts Fat Burning and Extends Lifespan in Mice
- Authors
- Naomi Kamimura, Harumi Ichimiya, Katsuya Iuchi, Shigeo Ohta
- Journal
- NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease
- Year
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1038/npjamd.2016.8
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Obesity
- Body System
- Metabolic
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-infused water can help fight obesity and diabetes in mice by boosting metabolism and even extend their lifespan.
Key Finding
Hydrogen water activated a gene called PGC-1α in mouse livers, which triggered a metabolic pathway that improved fat metabolism, reduced blood triglycerides, and extended lifespan in mice fed a high-fat diet.
Summary
Researchers gave mice with obesity and diabetes either hydrogen-infused water or a hydrogen-producing supplement and tracked changes in their liver genes. They found that hydrogen activated a gene called PGC-1α, which then triggered a chain reaction that improved how the mice's bodies burned fat and processed cholesterol. In mice fed a high-fat diet, hydrogen water lowered blood triglycerides (a type of fat) and increased lifespan.
Practical Takeaway
This study provides early evidence in mice that hydrogen water may support fat metabolism through specific genetic pathways. However, this research was conducted only in animals, not humans, so it's unclear whether these effects would occur in people. More human studies would be needed before drawing conclusions about hydrogen water's effects on metabolism or lifespan in humans.
Abstract (excerpt)
We previously reported that molecular hydrogen (H2) acts as a novel antioxidant to exhibit multiple functions. Moreover, long-term drinking of H2-water (water infused with H2) enhanced energy expenditure to improve obesity and diabetes in db/db mice accompanied by the increased expression…