Safety Concerns Found with Home Hydrogen Water Machines

Some people use special machines to make "alkaline water" that they drink to feel healthier, but scientists found that these machines might release tiny harmful particles made of platinum that could be dangerous—so these devices should probably be checked and regulated by health officials before people keep using them.

Electrolysis devices that produce alkaline-reduced water may release platinum nanoparticles from electrode degradation, and the safety of these particles is not yet established.

This report examines alkaline-reduced water devices that use electrolysis to produce water containing dissolved hydrogen gas. While these devices have been used in Japan since 1965 and research suggests the hydrogen may help eliminate harmful molecules called free radicals, the authors identified a safety concern: the electrodes in these devices can degrade over time and release tiny platinum particles whose health effects are unknown. The authors recommend that governments regulate these devices more carefully before allowing them to be sold freely to consumers.

This is a safety review rather than a study testing hydrogen water's effects. It raises concerns about contaminants from the devices themselves, not the hydrogen water they produce. Anyone considering these devices should be aware that electrode degradation may introduce unknown substances, and these products currently lack the regulatory oversight typically required for medical devices in many countries.

Consumption of alkaline reduced water produced by domestic electrolysis devices was approved in Japan in 1965 by the Minister of Health, Work and Wellbeing, for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Today, these devices are also freely available in France. The commercial information provided…

Read the full abstract at the source