Hydrogen Water Lowers Cholesterol and Prevents Heart Disease in Rats
- Authors
- Masumi Abe, Shunpei Sato, Kazuko Toh, Takeki Hamasaki, Noboru Nakamichi, Kiichiro Teruya, Yoshinori Katakura, Shinkatsu Morisawa, Sanetaka Shirahata
- Journal
- Basic and Applied Aspects
- Year
- 2010
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-90-481-3892-0_52
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Hyperlipidemia
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Water treated with electricity that contains hydrogen and tiny platinum particles may act as a new type of antioxidant that can protect important fats in our blood from damage.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed reduced water inhibited the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in lab tests and reduced plasma triglyceride levels in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.
Summary
Researchers tested electrolyzed reduced water (ERW)—water treated with electricity to contain hydrogen molecules—to see if it could reduce harmful oxidation of cholesterol in the body. In lab tests and in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet, ERW reduced the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and lowered triglyceride levels (a type of blood fat). The results suggest ERW may have antioxidant properties that could protect against cholesterol-related damage.
Practical Takeaway
This is an animal study, so results cannot be directly applied to humans yet. While the findings suggest ERW may have antioxidant effects on cholesterol, human studies would be needed to determine whether drinking ERW provides similar benefits for cardiovascular health. The study duration and sample size were not reported, which limits the strength of the conclusions.
Abstract
Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) containing hydrogen molecules and Pt nanoparticles is expected as a new antioxidant. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay revealed that ERW had an inhibitory effect on the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). In addition, ERW significantly suppressed LDL oxidation in the medium cultured J.774.A1 macrophage like cells. ERW inhibited Cu2+ ion-catalyzed oxidation of LDL ex vivo. ERW lowered lipid peroxide level in blood red cells and plasma triglyceride in rats fed a basal diet containing 2% cholesterol. These results suggest that ERW has anti-LDL oxidation and anti-hyperlipidemia effects.