Lab Study on How Hydrogen Water Works as an Antioxidant

The study found that certain types of water with claimed antioxidant benefits actually do have these effects, but they come from regular hydrogen gas and a form of the mineral vanadium, not from a special form of hydrogen as advertised.

Hydrogen-enriched waters demonstrate genuine antioxidant activity in laboratory tests, but this effect is produced by ordinary molecular hydrogen gas and mineral ions rather than the theorized 'active hydrogen' component.

Researchers tested several types of water products marketed as having antioxidant properties (the ability to reduce harmful chemical reactions in the body) through something called 'active hydrogen.' They examined electrolyzed-reduced water and three commercial hydrogen water products using laboratory tests that measure how well these waters prevent oxidation and scavenge reactive oxygen species (unstable molecules that can damage cells). The study found that these waters do have antioxidant effects in laboratory conditions, but the benefit comes from regular hydrogen gas and certain mineral ions, not from 'active hydrogen' as previously claimed.

This laboratory study provides evidence that hydrogen water products do have measurable antioxidant properties in test tubes, though it does not demonstrate effects in the human body. The findings suggest the antioxidant mechanism is simpler than previously theorized, but since this is an in vitro (test tube) study only, it remains unclear whether these antioxidant effects would translate to health benefits when hydrogen water is consumed.

We evaluated the properties and real existence of an electrolyzed-reduced water, which we prepared, and three commercially purchased water goods, that are advertised to have antioxidant activities by the action of 'active hydrogen,' on the basis of the results of examinations for inhibitory effects…

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