Hydrogen Water Boosts Athletic Performance in Dragon Boat Athletes
- Authors
- Gengxin Dong, Jiahui Fu, Dapeng Bao, Junhong Zhou
- Journal
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Year
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.3390/ijerph19095413
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Exercise Fatigue
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) for a week helped dragon boat athletes perform better and recover faster after intense training.
Key Finding
Athletes who drank hydrogen-rich water for 7 days produced more maximum and average power during a 30-second rowing test and experienced faster heart rate recovery after exercise compared to those who drank placebo water.
Summary
This small study tested whether drinking hydrogen-rich water (water infused with hydrogen gas) could help dragon boat athletes perform better and recover faster. Eighteen athletes drank either hydrogen-rich water or regular water for 7 days while training intensively. Those who drank hydrogen-rich water showed higher power output during a 30-second rowing test and their heart rate dropped more quickly after exercise compared to the placebo group.
Practical Takeaway
This pilot study in a small group of trained athletes suggests hydrogen-rich water may support athletic performance and recovery, but the findings are preliminary. The study lasted only 7 days and involved just 18 athletes, so larger and longer studies would be needed to confirm whether these benefits apply more broadly to other athletes or fitness enthusiasts.
Abstract
(1) Background: Exercise that exceeds the body's accustomed load can lead to oxidative stress and increased fatigue during intense training or competition, resulting in decreased athletic performance and an increased risk of injury, and the new medicinal H2 may be beneficial as an antioxidant. Therefore, we explored the effect of short-term supplementation of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on the work performance and fatigue recovery of dragon boat athletes after training. (2) Methods: Eighteen dragon boat athletes who trained for 4 h a day (2 h in the morning and 2 h in the afternoon) were divided into an HRW group (n = 9) and a placebo water (PW) group (n = 9), drinking HRW or PW for 7 days. Each participant completed 30 s rowing dynamometer tests, monitoring the heart rate at baseline (i.e., Day 1) and after the intervention (on Day 8). (3) Result: Drinking HRW increased the maximum power and average power of the 30 s rowing test and decreased the maximum heart rate during the period. After the rowing test, the HRW group's heart rate dropped significantly after 2 min of recovery, while the PW group's heart rate did not drop. There was no significant difference between the 30 s rowing distance and the predicted duration of rowing 500 m. (4) Conclusions: Drinking HRW in the short term can effectively improve the power performance of dragon boat athletes and is conducive to the recovery of the heart rate after exercise, indicating that HRW may be a suitable means of hydration for athletes.