Hydrogen Water Boosts Exercise Performance in 2-Week Study
- Authors
- Amane Hori, Sayaka Sobue, Ryosuke Kurokawa, Shin-Ichi Hirano, Masatoshi Ichihara, Norio Hotta
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.4103/2045-9912.304223
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Exercise Performance
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking hydrogen-rich water for two weeks can improve the amount of oxygen you can use during intense exercise, potentially enhancing your aerobic exercise performance.
Key Finding
Two weeks of continuous hydrogen-rich water supplementation significantly increased peak oxygen uptake during exercise in healthy adults, while a single dose had no measurable effect.
Summary
Researchers tested whether drinking hydrogen-rich water could improve aerobic fitness (the body's ability to use oxygen during exercise) in healthy people. Participants either drank hydrogen-rich water once or continuously for two weeks, then performed cycling tests to measure their peak oxygen uptake (VO2 max). A single dose had no effect, but two weeks of daily consumption significantly increased peak oxygen uptake, suggesting improved exercise capacity.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests that sustained hydrogen-rich water consumption—not occasional use—may support aerobic exercise performance in healthy people. However, the study's sample size was not reported, making it difficult to assess the strength of these findings. More research with larger groups is needed before drawing firm conclusions about practical benefits.
Abstract
The various beneficial effects of the intake of molecular hydrogen (H2) have been demonstrated in the field of sports science. Although supplementation of H2 has been reported to increase mitochondrial metabolism in animal studies, the effects of the administration of H2 on aerobic capacity during exercise in humans are still not clear. We investigated whether a single or 2-week continuous intake of H2-rich water (HW) enhanced the aerobic capacity during incremental exercise in healthy humans. In this randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled experimental study, the participants performed an incremental cycling exercise to measure peak oxygen uptake and peak load before and after a single (500 mL) or a 2-week supplementation (total 5 L) of HW. In the latter experiment, the participants drank the 500 mL of HW on all weekdays (i.e., 10 times). The single intake of HW did not significantly increase peak oxygen uptake and peak load, and did not significantly alter the responses in oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, and lactate levels. However, importantly, the 2-week continuous consumption of HW significantly augmented peak oxygen uptake and tended to increase the peak load without any significant changes in lactate levels, oxidative stress, and antioxidant responses. In conclusion, the continuous supplementation of HW potentially augments the aerobic capacity, implying that continuous supplementation of H2 might help improve aerobic exercise performance and physical health. This study protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of Chubu University (approval No. 260086-2) on March 29, 2018.