Hydrogen Water Reduces Food Cravings and Improves Sleep in Obese Adults
The Effects of 8-Week Hydrogen-Rich Water Consumption on Appetite, Body Composition, Sleep Quality, and Circulating Glucagon-like Peptide-1 in Obese Men and Women (HYDRAPPET): A Randomized Controlled Trial
Research hubs: Endocrine System · Cardiovascular System
- Evidence type
- Randomized controlled trial · Human study
- Authors
- Nikola Todorovic, Sonja Baltic, David Nedeljkovic, Jovan Kuzmanovic, Darinka Korovljev, Dejan Javorac, Katarina Bijelic, Nebojsa Kladar, Alex Tarnava, Sergej M Ostojic
- Journal
- Medicina
- Year
- 2025
- PMID
- 40731927
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 36
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- 1.0 L hydrogen-rich water (15 mg H2) daily for 8 weeks
- H₂ concentration
- 15 mg H2 per 1.0 L
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Funding
- Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research (142-451-2597/2021-01); Natural Wellness Now Health Products Inc.
- Conflicts of interest
- A.T. is employed by Natural Wellness Now Health Products Inc., the company that supplied the supplements examined in this study.
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 6 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Serbia
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water daily helped reduce food cravings, improve sleep, and lower cholesterol in people with obesity.
Key Finding
Eight weeks of drinking hydrogen-rich water (15 mg of hydrogen daily) reduced food cravings, improved sleep quality, lowered total and LDL cholesterol, and increased GLP-1 hormone levels in people with obesity.
Summary
In this 8-week study, 36 people with obesity drank either hydrogen-rich water or regular water daily. Those who drank the hydrogen-rich water reported fewer food cravings, slept better, and had lower cholesterol levels compared to the control group. The hydrogen-rich water also increased levels of a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which helps regulate appetite.
Practical Takeaway
This small, controlled study suggests hydrogen-rich water may help with appetite control and some metabolic markers in people with obesity, though the effects were modest and the study included only 36 participants. More research with larger groups and longer follow-up periods would be needed to confirm whether these benefits persist over time or translate to meaningful weight loss.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background and Objectives: Preliminary studies indicate that dihydrogen (H2) may affect molecular pathways involved in appetite regulation; however, its role in influencing patient-reported appetite outcomes in individuals with obesity remains uncertain. This randomized, placebo-controlled…