Hydrogen Water Reduces Exercise Damage in Athletes
- Authors
- Yue-Peng Sun, Liang Sun
- Journal
- Biomedical Research
- Year
- 2017
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Muscular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen water helps protect athletes from cell damage caused by intense exercise.
Key Finding
Athletes who consumed hydrogen water had significantly lower free radical markers and higher antioxidant enzyme activity during and after high-intensity exercise compared to those who received a placebo.
Summary
Researchers gave 60 swimmers either hydrogen water or a placebo and measured markers of oxidative stress (damage from harmful molecules called free radicals) before, during, and after intense exercise. The swimmers who drank hydrogen water showed lower levels of harmful free radicals and higher levels of protective antioxidant enzymes compared to the placebo group.
Practical Takeaway
This small study suggests hydrogen water may help reduce oxidative stress in athletes during intense training. However, the study duration and exact hydrogen water dosage were not reported, and it's unclear whether these changes in blood markers translate to actual improvements in athletic performance or recovery. More detailed research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to investigate the selective protective effect of hydrogen water on the free radical injury of athletes after high-intensity exercise and to provide a reliable method for reducing oxidative stress injury of athletes. Methods: A total of 60 athletes from the swimming team in our city were selected as the research subjects. They were divided into the control group and hydrogen water group according to different intervention methods. The athletes in the control group were treated with placebo, and the athletes in the hydrogen water group were supplemented with hydrogen water. The serum superoxide anions, Serum Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activities, and total antioxidant capacities of athletes were compared between the two groups. Results: The serum superoxide anions, serum SOD activities, and total antioxidant capacities of athletes during and after training were significantly superior to those of the control group (P<0.05), and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Hydrogen water supplement could effectively reduce the oxidized substances in athletes before, during, and after exercise and could prevent the free radical injury caused by high-intensity exercise.