Hydrogen water, any good?

[Arjan82]

TL;DR

There is a medical hype telling you to drink water with dissolved H2 in it for health benefits. And there is a study in Nature that actually seems legit (to the layman's eye). So what to make of this?

Here is a study that claims that drinking water with dissolved H2 is a good thing for people over 30:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68930-2

It is apparently a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial, which sounds good. The total amount of people in the age group >30, the group for which a statistically significant result has been found, is 18 (the results for the <30 group (20 people) did not show a significant benefit).

Apparently the benefit is that H2 is an antioxidant which supposedly has all kind of benefits since, apparently, oxidation of cells/DNA/RNA causes damage leading to higher inflammation levels and other bad stuff.

I have no medical background at all. It seems to me somewhat farfetched that drinking hydrogen water would be really beneficial, and it sounds much more like one of the many medical hypes that go around off of which people try to make lots of money.

So what am I to make of this? Is there some truth in this after all? What do you think?

 

[pinball1970]

TL;DR Summary: There is a medical hype telling you to drink water with dissolved H2 in it for health benefits. And there is a study in Nature that actually seems legit (to the layman's eye). So what to make of this?

Here is a study that claims that drinking water with dissolved H2 is a good thing for people over 30:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68930-2

It is apparently a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial, which sounds good. The total amount of people in the age group >30, the group for which a statistically significant result has been found, is 18 (the results for the <30 group (20 people) did not show a significant benefit).

Apparently the benefit is that H2 is an antioxidant which supposedly has all kind of benefits since, apparently, oxidation of cells/DNA/RNA causes damage leading to higher inflammation levels and other bad stuff.

I have no medical background at all. It seems to me somewhat farfetched that drinking hydrogen water would be really beneficial, and it sounds much more like one of the many medical hypes that go around off of which people try to make lots of money.

So what am I to make of this? Is there some truth in this after all? What do you think?

Looks positive but not many quality publications on it.

I found this (meta analysis) which is more recent.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10816294/

From the conclusion.

"....These potential (positive health) consequences have aroused debate in the scientific and medical industries. Even though there is great potential in understanding the benefits of hydrogen-rich water, we still have to overcome the existing limitations. We need well-designed studies in humans, with large sample sizes and long-term trials, to ascertain the benefits."

 

[Cepacia]

Statistical differences in observed metrics of "hydrogen water" consumption vs that of an undescribed/unanalyzed "plain water" were not offered or observed as clinically relevant.

 

[Tom.G]

"Although preliminary results in clinical trials and studies are encouraging, further research with larger sample sizes and rigorous methodologies is needed to substantiate these findings. Current research needs to fully explain the mechanisms behind the potential benefits of hydrogen-rich water."

Above from the Abstract in the cited article:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10816294/

In my opinion it is a case of "Buyer Beware." At least you will be burping a lot!
(Unless they are talking about converting the H₂O to H₂O₂, in which case you will be spending a lot of time in the hospital. )

 

[Arjan82]

Ok, tnx. So it is certainly not settled then. The meta analysis was very interesting.

 

[Bruzote]

Well, at least you can light your burps and amaze people. Just don't breathe in when you do it! :-D

Seriously, though, it amazes me how scams persist because people are desperate to believe in things. The public seems to not realize that the number of self-consistent bogus hypotheses that one can propose are ENDLESS.

Here, we have this hydrogen water idea in which someone made a RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE mental model of a helpful beverage interacting with body. In that model, they had only two things. A single class of oxidant and hydrogen molecules dissolved in water. They assume you DO want to get rid of that oxidant, even though it might be at current equilibrium levels FOR GOOD REASON. They assume the hydrogen has no negative impacts on other things, either.

They assume the benefit is worth the effort. They assume the plastic bottle it comes in won't have negative effects. And after this crap hypothesis is proposed, no reliable testing is done. And you can bet the lack of testing is not due to ethics. It's just that why would a marketing campaign for a profit-driven company want to expose if a product works.

And why would people desperate for ideas want to have the skepticism to demand, "Show me don't tell me." Rush had it right in their lyrics of their straightforward song. If the hypothesis had robust results backing it up from the start, you would know. Why do people even waste time on these days. You're asking them to show you and doing the hunting. Don't waste your time. Ignore things that don't come with proof, unless you find the ideas themselves entertaining.

I might sound pushy, but look around. It's the only way you won't waste time on the endless self-consistent ideas that people seem to think have a good chance of being true because they are not self-contradictory. Look at the scope of the idea - does it have solid studies backing it up or at least lots of real world complexity that stands up to scrutiny? If not, I assure you with 99.9% certainty, it is bogus.

Just ask people who invent drugs. You pretty much never find a good idea that is simple. Ever. It should be tested before even entering public conversation. Thanks. I hope you're not pushed away by my "IM-maybe-not-so-HO".

 

[Arjan82]

I would agree with you if the only thing was that some company sold H2 water with some consistent sounding but unverifiable claim. My point here is that this particular idea does come with some backing / proof, look at the papers cited in this thread, even one in Nature... So it was indeed tested, it does have solid looking studies. My question was on how to interpret this, what is this study worth?

 

[mjpsssl]

That's not "Nature" the respected, prestigious, rigorously peer reviewed, and extremely difficult to get published in scientific journal, it's "Scientific Reports" (same publisher: Springer-Nature). Scientific Reports is an open access journal and publishes anything on any topic that passes a much lighter peer review and where authors pay publication costs

 

[Steve4Physics]

The speed of sound in hydrogen is significantly higher than in helium. One advantage of taking hydrogenated water could be that breaking-wind becomes inaudible to others (although it might attract nearby dogs).

 

[256bits]

So, when CO2 is added to water, the water becomes more acidic, meaning more H+ ions.
But, H2 added to water does not make it more acidic??? forming H+ ions.
Kinda makes sense as the disassociated H2 molecule would have to each H+ ion acting as an acid-base congugate pair with the other.

The meta study by Pub Med talks about molecular hydrogen, ie H2. in water has effects within cells
2.2. Impact of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Oxidative StressHydrogen reduces the oxidative damage that occurs between biological molecules and hydroxyl radicals [1]. With this reduction in oxidized macromolecules, there is a decrease in cellular and mitochondrial injuries

One concrete advantage I see listed is
Another added advantage is that, even at higher concentrations, hydrogen has no cytotoxicity [4]. Also, in mixed deep diving gas, hydrogen gas in high concentrations is used for inhalation to prevent arterial gas thrombi and to prevent decompression sickness

 

[DaveC426913]

And a bonus effect of weight loss! (Not mass loss, just added buoyancy)

 

[Cepacia]

Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax?—A Systematic Review​

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10816294/

Increased interest and continuous study are being directed toward the possible health advantages of hydrogen-rich water in a variety of areas, including physical endurance, exercise capacity, cardiovascular disease, liver function, COVID-19, mental health, anti-aging research, and oxidative stress. These potential consequences have aroused debate in the scientific and medical industries. Even though there is great potential in understanding the benefits of hydrogen-rich water, we still have to overcome the existing limitations. We need well-designed studies in humans, with large sample sizes and long-term trials, to ascertain the benefits.

 

[BWV]

The problem is all major brands of H2 water test positive for potentially deadly dihydrogen monoxide contamination

 

[DaveC426913]

The problem is all major brands of H2 water test positive for potentially deadly dihydrogen monoxide contamination

Indeed. I inhaled a small amount of it once. Almost died.