Study Reveals How Hydrogen Water Actually Works as an Antioxidant
- Authors
- Atsushi Hiraoka, Masumi Takemoto, Takahiro Suzuki, Atsuko Shinohara, Momoko Chiba, Mika Shirao, Yoshihiro Yoshimura
- Journal
- Journal of Health Science
- Year
- 2004
- DOI
- 10.1248/jhs.50.456
- Study Type
- Molecular Assay
- Outcome
- Neutral
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Oxidative Stress
- Body System
- Whole Body
TL;DR
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.
Key Finding
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.
Summary
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.
Practical Takeaway
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.
Abstract
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 on the oxidative reactions of biomolecules, quantitative analyses of the minerals, and the ESR spectral data in measurement of the scavenging ability for reactive oxygen species. The results suggested that all of the examined aqueous solution systems undoubtedly have antioxidant activities in vitro and that such effects are derived from ordinary molecular hydrogen (hydrogen gas) and/or (a) reductive vanadium ion(s). 'Active hydrogen' seems to be absent as an effective component of the antioxidant activities of these aqueous solution systems.