Hydrogen Water Boosts Athletic Performance in Hot Weather
- Authors
- Mariem Khlifi, Nidhal Jebabli, Nejmeddine Ouerghi, Fatma Hilal Yagin, Ashit Kumar Dutta, Reem Alwhaibi, Anissa Bouassida
- Journal
- Medicina
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3390/medicina61071173
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Tunisia
- Health Condition
- Heat Stress
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich cold water before exercise helped athletes perform better in the heat by lowering body temperature and fatigue.
Key Finding
Athletes who drank hydrogen-rich cold water before exercising in heat ran significantly longer distances and experienced lower blood lactate levels and reduced perceived exertion compared to those who drank regular cold water.
Summary
Researchers tested whether drinking hydrogen-rich cold water before exercise in hot conditions could improve athletic performance. Compared to regular cold water, hydrogen-rich cold water helped athletes run longer distances, reduced their body temperature more, lowered blood lactate (a substance that builds up during intense exercise), and made the exercise feel less difficult.
Practical Takeaway
This study suggests that hydrogen-rich cold water may help endurance athletes perform better in hot environments by reducing heat stress effects. However, the sample size was not reported, making it unclear how robust these findings are. More research with larger groups would be needed before drawing firm conclusions about practical benefits for athletes.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background and Objectives: Hyperthermia significantly limits endurance performance in hot environments. To enhance heat loss and optimize athletic performance, pre-cooling interventions can be employed to accelerate body cooling. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects…