MOLECULAR HYDROGEN research

The body of science regarding health benefits of H2 has advanced rapidly in recent years thanks to the studies done by research scientists around the globe. Over 1,000 peer-reviewed articles have been published on the impact of H2 on humans, animals, and individual cells. It shows that H2 regulates over 200 biomolecules and appears to provide benefit in 170+ health conditions and disease models, affecting virtually every organ in the human body. H2 operates on human metabolism in three primary areas:

• H2 rapidly and easily converts toxic free (hydroxyl OH-) radicals to water (H2 + 2 OH – > 2 H2O)
• H2 maintains antioxidant homeostasis. In other words, the body’s own antioxidants are leveraged and maintained
• H2 supports cell signaling, cell metabolism, and gene expression. This impacts inflammation, obesity, and aging mechanisms

Scientists studying molecular hydrogen's positive effects on health suggest that a range of .5 ppm (parts per million) to 1.6 ppm are desirable. Most medical studies have used these levels. In scientific literature, the concentration of 1.6 ppm is considered the concentration of "complete saturation", because it is the concentration that would exist if only hydrogen gas were present in that glass, at the pressure of sea-level.

There are 2 main ways to test hydrogen concentration levels in water: 

1) Trustlex Hydrogen Meter.

2) Methylene blue drops dissolved in ethyl alcohol with colloidal platinum.   

The problem with the drops is that their accuracy is not consistent. This may be due to the fact it's impossible to ensure perfect concentrations are in the bottle, unless you made the solution fresh that day. Or, it could have to do with the fact that the dropper does not give out the same sized drops each time.  

• Molecular hydrogen: a therapeutic antioxidant and beyond 

This is a general review of Molecular Hydrogen research in the areas of: post-cardiac syndrome, Parkinson's disease, metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, cerebral ischemia and hemodylisis. It covers the biological benefits of Molecular Hydrogen as well as clinical applications. They state, "Overall, the impact of molecular hydrogen in medicine is extraordinary. The non-toxic and rapid intracelluar diffusion ..."

• Physiological effects of alkaline ionized water: Effects on metabolites produced by intestinal fermentation

Japanese study found that long-term ingestion of alkaline ionized water (AIW) reduces caecal fermentation in rats that were given highly fermentable commercial diet.

• Caecal pH is a biomarker of excessive colonic fermentation

Healthy patients had a higher intestinal pH than patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

• Potential benefits of pH 8.8 alkaline drinking water as an adjunct in the treatment of reflux disease.

Researchers conclude that alkaline pH water (8.8) "has good acid-buffering capacity. Thus, the consumption of alkaline water may have therapeutic benefits for patients with reflux disease."

• Molecular hydrogen: new antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases.

Researchers have shown that Molecular Hydrogen reduces oxidative stress in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients. It helps to control systemic inflammation and benefits the state of health generally.

• Hydrogen-rich water decreases serum LDL-cholesterol levels and improves HDL function in patients with potential metabolic syndrome

Researchers discovered: "administration of H2 water seems to decrease serum TC and LDL-C levels and improve HDL functions in patients with potential metabolic syndrome."

• Molecular hydrogen: an overview of its neurobiological effects and therapeutic potential for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

Researchers discuss the relation of oxidative stress to mental disorders and clinical uses for Molecular Hydrogen in treating bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders.

• Molecular Hydrogen as an Emerging Therapeutic Medical Gas for Neurodegenerative and Other Diseases

Researchers state that Molecular Hydrogen is effective for: diabetes mellitus type II, metabolic syndrome, hemodialysis, inflammatory and mitochondrial myopathies, brain stem infarction and radiation-induced liver tumors. They also point out no adverse effects were documented in the human diseases they have researched.

• Recent Progress Toward Hydrogen Medicine: Potential of Molecular Hydrogen for Preventive and Therapeutic Applications

Researchers discuss how oxidative stress is a major cause of most lifestyle-related diseases, including cancer and aging. They explain the scavenging effect of Molecular Hydrogen as its many advantages over other anti-oxidants.

• Alkaline Water and Longevity: A Murine Study

"Statistical analysis revealed that alkaline water provides higher longevity in terms of “deceleration aging factor” as it increases the survival functions when compared with control group."

• The evolution of molecular hydrogen: a noteworthy potential therapy with clinical significance

Review of research, finding "Hydrogen is extremely unique since it has the capability to act at the cellular level." and "hydrogen exerts antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties that are beneficial to the cell. "

• Molecular Hydrogen as a Neuroprotective Agent.

Explains how "Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation cause many neurological disorders." And, they discuss how H2, molecular hydrogen, by targeting and eliminating Oxygen radicals, can potentially relieve this condition.

• Molecular hydrogen decelerates rheumatoid arthritis progression through inhibition of oxidative stress

Researchers state, "Persistent oxidative stress is one of the major causes of most lifestyle-related diseases, cancer and the aging process," and cite several clinical trials. 

• Molecular hydrogen in sports medicine: new therapeutic perspectives.

This is a review, summarizing the research findings regarding using molecular hydrogen in the field of sports medicine. They say, "In the past 2 decades, molecular hydrogen emerged as a novel therapeutic agent, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects demonstrated in plethora of animal disease models and human studies."

• Anti-inflammatory properties of molecular hydrogen: investigation on parasite-induced liver inflammation.

This was an animal study using molecular hydrogen in gas to test the anti-inflammatory effects of molecular hydrogen. They said, "the treatment had significant protective effects toward the liver." 

• Molecular hydrogen alleviates motor deficits and muscle degeneration in mdx mice

This research used mdx mice to test the effects of hydrogen water on muscular dystrophy. They found that it prevented abnormal body mass gain, improved running ability, and decreased the number of central nuclei of muscle fibers.

• Molecular hydrogen protects against oxidative stress-induced SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell death through the process of mitohormesis

Researchers found "Inhalation of molecular hydrogen (H2) gas ameliorates oxidative stress-induced acute injuries in the brain." They determined the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen inhalation by studying neuroblastoma (a certain type of cancer) cells of infected rats' after death.

• Intake of water with high levels of dissolved hydrogen (H2) suppresses ischemia-induced cardio-renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

Research showed benefits in ameliorating cardio-renal injury after drinking hydrogen water for 6 weeks of the induced injury.

• Combination therapy of molecular hydrogen and hyperoxia improves survival rate and organ damage in a zymosan-induced generalized inflammation model

Researchers found "Hydrogen gas (H2) exerts a therapeutic antioxidative effect by selectively reducing ROS (reactive oxygen species)."

• Molecular hydrogen improves obesity and diabetes by inducing hepatic FGF21 and stimulating energy metabolism in db/db mice.

Researchers tested the benefits of drinking hydrogen water to type 2 diabetes. They found, "Drinking H(2)-water reduced hepatic oxidative stress, and significantly alleviated fatty liver in db/db mice as well as high fat-diet-induced fatty liver in wild-type mice. Long-term drinking H(2)-water significantly controlled fat and body weights, despite no increase in consumption of diet and water. Moreover, drinking H(2)-water decreased levels of plasma glucose, insulin, and triglyceride, the effect of which on hyperglycemia was similar to diet restriction."

• Hydrogen Inhalation During Normoxic Resuscitation Improves Neurological Outcome in a Rat Model of Cardiac Arrest, Independent of Targeted Temperature Management

Researchers show how H2 inhalation is beneficial (with or without commencing other treatments) after a patient has received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They say, "it significantly improves brain and cardiac function in a rat model of cardiac arrest (CA)."

• Molecular Hydrogen in Drinking Water Protects against Neurodegenerative Changes Induced by Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury is a risk factor for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. These researchers examined the ability of molecular hydrogen water to benefit the condition. They found: "These results show that molecular hydrogen given in drinking water reverses many of the sequelae of CCI and suggests that it could be an easily administered, highly effective treatment for TBI."

• Effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on the quality of life of patients treated with radiotherapy for liver tumors.

Research shows that "QOL (quality of life) scores during radiotherapy were significantly improved in patients treated with hydrogen-rich water compared to patients receiving placebo water."

• Effect of Hydrogen‐Rich Water on Oxidative Stress, Liver Function, and Viral Load in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

After treatment, the oxidative stress remained unchanged in routine treatment group, but markedly improved in hydrogen treatment group. 

• Hydrogen(H2) treatment for acute erythymatous skin diseases. A report of 4 patients with safety data and a non-controlled feasibility study with H2 concentration measurement on two volunteers.

Researchers concluded: "An improvement in acute erythemtous skin diseases followed the administration of H2 enriched fluid without compromising the safety."

• Hydrogen-rich electrolyzed warm water represses wrinkle formation against UVA ray together with type-I collagen production and oxidative-stress diminishment in fibroblasts and cell-injury prevention in keratinocytes.

Researchers concluded that hydrogen water can serve as a daily skin care (preventative to UVA-induced skin damage from reactive oxygen free radicals), and it promotes type-1 collagen synthesis in dermis.

• Hydrogen water intake via tube-feeding for patients with pressure ulcer and its reconstructive effects on normal human skin cells in vitro.

Researchers concluded that hydrogen water helps to reduce wound sizes in elderly patients and promote natural healing.

• Preventive Effect of Hydrogen Water on the Development of Detrusor Overactivity in a Rat Model of Bladder Outlet Obstruction.

Researchers concluded, "H2 water could ameliorate bladder dysfunction."

• Treatment with hydrogen molecule attenuates cardiac dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Researchers suggest that molecular hydrogen could be used as a natural countermeasure for diabetic cardiomyopathy.

• Protection of the retina by rapid diffusion of hydrogen: administration of hydrogen-loaded eye drops in retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Researchers conclude that using hydrogen (H2) loaded eye drops has no toxic effects on the human body, and "is highly useful as a neuroprotective and antioxidative therapeutic treatment for acute retinal I/R injury."

• Hydrogen and N-acetyl-L-cysteine rescue oxidative stress-induced angiogenesis in a mouse corneal alkali-burn model.

Researchers conclude that "Immediate antioxidant therapy with H2-enriched irrigation solution is a new potent treatment of angiogenesis in cornea to prevent blindness caused by alkali burn."

• Hydrogen protects auditory hair cells from free radicals.

The researchers' findings "show the potential of hydrogen to protect auditory hair cells from ROS-induced damage." In other words acts as a prevention to hearing loss in the elderly.

• Molecular hydrogen: An inert gas turns clinically effective.

Researchers state that Molecular Hydrogen's benefit for medicine is no longer theoretical. It summarizes the data from clinical trials of H2 and states that molecular hydrogen is clinically effective.

• Molecular hydrogen as a preventive and therapeutic medical gas: initiation, development and potential of hydrogen medicine. 

This is another review of molecular hydrogen research. "H2 seems to differ from conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Owing to its great efficacy and lack of adverse effects, H2 has promising potential for clinical use against many diseases."

• Suppressive effects of electrochemically reduced water on matrix metalloproteinase-2 activities and in vitro invasion of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells

Researchers conclude: "can be easily consumed in daily life and may be a promising antioxidant for the prevention and improved treatment of cancers."

• Effects of ionized waterfall aerosol on pediatric allergic asthma

Ionized water in aerosol may have "a long-lasting beneficial effect on asthma symptoms, lung function, and airway inflammation."

• Hydrogen Improves Glycemic Control in Type1 Diabetic Animal Model by Promoting Glucose Uptake into Skeletal Muscle

Our study demonstrates that H2 exerts metabolic effects similar to those of insulin and may be a novel therapeutic alternative to insulin in type 1 diabetes mellitus that can be administered orally.

• Anti-diabetic effects of electrolyzed reduced water in streptozotocin-induced and genetic diabetic mice.

"The present data suggest that ERW (ionized water) may function as an orally effective anti-diabetic agent."

• Consumption of hydrogen-rich water alleviates renal injury in spontaneous hypertensive rats.

"Consumption of HW is a promising strategy to alleviate renal injury as a supplement for anti-hypertensive therapy."

• Hydrogen-rich water attenuates brain damage and inflammation after traumatic brain injury in rats.

Is "an effective therapeutic strategy for TBI (traumatic brain injury) patients."

• Supplementation of hydrogen-rich water improves lipid and glucose metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.

"Intake of hydrogen-rich water normalized the oral glucose tolerance test."

• Consumption of molecular hydrogen prevents the stress-induced impairments in hippocampus-dependent learning tasks during chronic physical restraint in mice.

"Continuous consumption of hydrogen water reduces oxidative stress in the brain, and prevents the stress-induced decline in learning and memory caused by chronic physical restraint. Hydrogen water may be applicable for preventive use in cognitive or other neuronal disorders."

• Advanced research on the health benefit of reduced water

"Accumulating evidence has shown that reduced waters are health beneficial and they suppress oxidative stress-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, arteriosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and the side effects of hemodialysis."

• Ionized alkaline water: new strategy for management of metabolic acidosis in experimental animals.

The results were that dogs which drank alkaline ionized water showed significant improvement over the ones that drank just the tap water. After completing the animal studies using ionized alkaline water and discovering that there was significant improvement in dogs that were afflicted with renal failure researchers stated: “Alkaline ionized water can be considered as a major safe strategy in the management of metabolic acidosis.

• Studies and observations on the health effects of drinking electrolyzed-reduced alkaline water

Results suggest that long term consumption of this water slows the effects of aging and may improve the peripheral circulation; serve as an adjunct therapy for diabetes and kidney disorders; and help prevent cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.

• Anti-diabetic effects of electrolyzed reduced water in streptozotocin-induced and genetic diabetic mice.

The present data suggest that ERW may function as an orally effective anti-diabetic agent.

• Effect of electrolyzed high-pH alkaline water on blood viscosity in healthy adults

After exercise-induced dehydration, consumption of the electrolyzed, high-pH water reduced high-shear viscosity by an average of 6.30% compared to 3.36% with standard purified water (p = 0.03).