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Drinking (HRW)

Drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW): water with molecular hydrogen dissolved into it, taken orally — the most-studied route in humans. The H₂ concentration reached depends heavily on how the water is made and stored, and it fades quickly once opened.

Human studies on molecular hydrogen given by Drinking (HRW). This page collects the 191 studies using this route — 37 randomized trials, 37 pilot/observational studies and 42 reviews. Listed newest first.

2026 · Nguyen — Advances in hydrogen delivery strategies for therapeutic applications

Advanced drug delivery reviews

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) has selective antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties — but getting it reliably to target tissues remains the central challenge limiting clinical use.

2025 · Bjørklund — Advanced Glycation End Products and Skin Autoimmune Disorders: Pathogenic Insights into Vitiligo, Bullous Pemphigoid, and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Current medicinal chemistry

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) — toxic compounds formed under high blood sugar — trigger oxidative stress and autoimmune responses that can cause skin diseases such as vitiligo and bullous pemphigoid in Type 1 Diabetes.

2025 · Bilski — Antioxidant Therapies as Emerging Adjuncts in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Targeting Oxidative Stress to Enhance Treatment Outcomes

International journal of molecular sciences

Rheumatoid arthritis is driven not only by immune dysregulation but also by oxidative stress — current DMARDs fail to address ROS-mediated joint damage, opening space for antioxidant adjuncts.

2025 · Meng — Oral Administration of Hydrogen-rich Water: Biomedical Activities, Potential Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications

Current pharmaceutical design

Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) reduces oxidative stress, modulates inflammation, regulates metabolism, and protects mitochondrial function — this comprehensive review surveys both laboratory evidence and clinical applications of orally consumed HRW.

2024 · Dhillon — Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax?—A Systematic Review

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) — healthy or hype? A systematic review of 25 studies concludes: the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are „encouraging“ in early clinical studies, but not yet conclusive — larger studies are needed.

2024 · Glevicka — Perspective Targeted Diagnosis and Therapy of Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Across Different Diagnoses

Bratislavske lekarske listy

This review explores innovative ways to diagnose and treat mitochondrial dysfunction — a root cause shared across many diseases — using high-resolution respirometry (HRR) of blood platelets as a minimally invasive diagnostic tool.

2023 · Kuo — Molecular Hydrogen: Emerging Treatment for Stroke Management

Chemical Research in Toxicology

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) is an emerging therapeutic approach in ischemic stroke — antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic.

2023 · Saengsin et al. — Hydrogen Therapy as a Potential Therapeutic Intervention in Heart Disease: From the Past Evidence to Future Application

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS

This comprehensive review in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences synthesises in-vitro, animal, and clinical evidence for molecular hydrogen's protective effects in cardiovascular disease, covering its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms.

2023 · Li — Trend of research on the medical use of molecular hydrogen: a bibliometric analysis

Medical gas research

This bibliometric analysis of 1,126 PubMed publications on molecular hydrogen therapy (up to July 2021) shows a clear upward trend from 2007 onward.

2022 · LeBaron — Electrolyzed-Reduced Water: Review I. Molecular Hydrogen Is the Exclusive Agent Responsible for the Therapeutic Effects

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

With alkaline electrolyzed-reduced water (ERW), it is not „alkaline water“, not „microclusters“, not „free electrons“ that work — but solely the dissolved molecular hydrogen (H₂).

2022 · Lippi — Impact of nutraceuticals and dietary supplements on mitochondria modifications in healthy aging: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Aging clinical and experimental research

This systematic review of 6 randomized controlled trials found that dietary supplements — including hydrogen-rich water — show positive effects on mitochondrial function markers in healthy older adults, but the total evidence base is small and further research is needed.

2021 · Noda — Neuroprotective and Preventative Effects of Molecular Hydrogen

Current Pharmaceutical Design

Hydrogen (H₂) is neuroprotective: this review summarizes how daily H₂ could slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's (for which there are still no specific drugs) — via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and via a surprising stomach-brain connection.

2021 · Bragina — Intestinal microbiota of athletes.

Voprosy pitaniia

This systematic review of 14 studies finds that athletes harbour a more diverse gut microbiome than sedentary individuals, with higher proportions of bacteria that ferment complex carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids — including species that use hydrogen gas (H₂) and formate to drive fermentation.

2021 · Quan — Protective effects of molecular hydrogen on lung injury from lung transplantation.

Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

This review synthesizes the experimental evidence showing that H₂ — administered via inhalation, drinking, injection, or topical bath — can reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation responsible for primary graft dysfunction after lung transplantation.

2021 · Ostojic — Hydrogen Gas as an Exotic Performance-Enhancing Agent: Challenges and Opportunities

Current pharmaceutical design

This review maps approximately two dozen studies on hydrogen (H₂) and exercise performance, finding promising ergogenic signals — but also highlighting the absence of a gold-standard protocol.

2020 · Kawamura et al. — Application of Molecular Hydrogen as a Novel Antioxidant in Sports Science

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

This review surveys the evidence on molecular hydrogen (H₂) intake and exercise, covering all administration routes and focusing on exercise-induced oxidative stress.

2020 · Benoit — Molecular Hydrogen Metabolism: a Widespread Trait of Pathogenic Bacteria and Protists

Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR

Over 200 known pathogens carry genes for hydrogenases — enzymes that let bacteria consume or produce H₂ gas as part of their energy metabolism.

2019 · LeBaron et al. — A New Approach for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disorders. Molecular Hydrogen Significantly Reduces the Effects of Oxidative Stress.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) has been studied in preclinical and clinical settings for a wide range of cardiovascular conditions linked to oxidative stress and inflammation.

2019 · Noda et al. — Circulating messenger for neuroprotection induced by molecular hydrogen.

Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology

Drinking hydrogen-rich water does not only act while H₂ is present in the body — it can trigger lasting neuroprotection through an indirect hormonal mechanism involving ghrelin.

2019 · Ishibashi — Therapeutic Efficacy of Molecular Hydrogen: A New Mechanistic Insight.

Current pharmaceutical design

Beyond scavenging hydroxyl radicals, molecular hydrogen (H₂) may act directly on mitochondrial complex I — the enzyme that drives cellular energy production.

2019 · LeBaron et al. — Hydrogen gas: from clinical medicine to an emerging ergogenic molecule for sports athletes.

Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology

Hydrogen gas (H₂) may serve as both an exercise mimetic and a „redox adaptogen“ — reducing harm from excessive or damaging exercise while potentially amplifying the benefits of healthy training.

2018 · Chen — Research progress of hydrogen-rich saline for eye diseases.

[Zhonghua yan ke za zhi] Chinese journal of ophthalmology

This Chinese-language review summarizes the published research on hydrogen-rich saline (and hydrogen-rich water) for the treatment of eye diseases, including glaucoma, retinal ischemia, and other ocular conditions.

2017 · Iketani — Molecular Hydrogen as a Neuroprotective Agent

Current Neuropharmacology

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and shows potential in neurological disorders — from stroke through neurodegenerative diseases to brain damage in newborns.

2016 · Iida — The Clinical Application of Hydrogen as a Medical Treatment

Acta medica Okayama

This Japanese review surveys research on hydrogen-rich water and hydrogen gas as potential medical treatments, covering disease models such as ischaemia-reperfusion injury, and explores routes of H₂ administration (oral, intravenous, local) and the possible role of H₂ as an antioxidant signalling molecule.

2015 · Ohta — Molecular hydrogen as a novel antioxidant: overview of the advantages of hydrogen for medical applications.

Methods in enzymology

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) is a mild, selective antioxidant that neutralizes the most damaging reactive oxygen species without disrupting normal cellular redox signaling — a key advantage over broad-spectrum antioxidants.

2015 · Osonoi — [Alpha-glucosidase inhibitor]. (Nihon Rinsho)

Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine

This Japanese-language clinical review discusses alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GI) — a class of oral antidiabetic drugs — noting that their characteristic intestinal side effects (gas, bloating) arise from hydrogen gas produced by gut bacteria fermenting undigested carbohydrates.

2014 · Ohta — Molecular hydrogen as a preventive and therapeutic medical gas: initiation, development and potential of hydrogen medicine.

Pharmacology & therapeutics

One of the founding papers of hydrogen medicine, authored by Shigeo Ohta, summarises how H₂ was discovered to react with harmful hydroxyl radicals in cells — and why this makes it a candidate for preventing and treating a wide range of diseases.

2013 · Qian — Hydrogen as a new class of radioprotective agent

International journal of biological sciences

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) reduces radiation-induced oxidative damage by selectively neutralizing hydroxyl radicals — the main cause of ionizing radiation injury.

2013 · Takaki — Multiple hits, including oxidative stress, as pathogenesis and treatment target in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

International journal of molecular sciences

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progresses through multiple simultaneous pathways — including insulin resistance, gut microbiota, and oxidative stress — and conventional antioxidants have failed in long-term trials because they act non-selectively.

2012 · Chuai — Molecular hydrogen and radiation protection

Free Radical Research

Hydrogen (H₂) as radiation protection: ionizing radiation damages cells mainly via the hydroxyl radical (•OH) — exactly the radical H₂ selectively scavenges.

2012 · Ohno et al. — Molecular hydrogen as an emerging therapeutic medical gas for neurodegenerative and other diseases.

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity

This review surveys the research on molecular hydrogen (H₂) across 63 disease models and human diseases documented in the four and a half years after the landmark 2007 Nature Medicine paper.

2012 · Ohta — Molecular hydrogen is a novel antioxidant to efficiently reduce oxidative stress with potential for the improvement of mitochondrial diseases.

Biochimica et biophysica acta

This review by Shigeo Ohta — one of the founders of modern H₂ medicine — surveys the biological effects of molecular hydrogen across more than 38 diseases, physiological states, and clinical tests documented in the years following the 2007 Nature Medicine paper.

2011 · Ohta — Recent progress toward hydrogen medicine: potential of molecular hydrogen for preventive and therapeutic applications.

Current pharmaceutical design

Since the landmark 2007 Nature Medicine paper demonstrating that molecular hydrogen (H₂) selectively neutralizes toxic hydroxyl radicals, the field of hydrogen medicine has grown rapidly.

2011 · Acuña Castroviejo — Melatonin-Mitochondria Interplay in Health and Disease

Current topics in medicinal chemistry

This review examines how melatonin interacts with mitochondria to counteract oxidative and nitrosative stress — one of the core mechanisms underlying a wide range of diseases.

2010 · Woods — Computational glycoscience: characterizing the spatial and temporal properties of glycans and glycan-protein complexes.

Current opinion in structural biology

This review surveys computational methods — molecular dynamics simulations and virtual ligand screening — for studying how sugar chains (glycans) bind to proteins.

2009 · Mahlen — Oral abscess caused by Campylobacter rectus: case report and literature review.

Journal of clinical microbiology

This case report and literature review describes the first documented case of a palate abscess caused by Campylobacter rectus in a patient with gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma.

2004 · Züttel — Hydrogen storage methods

Die Naturwissenschaften

This theoretical engineering review surveys six methods for storing hydrogen gas — from high-pressure cylinders and liquid H₂ cryotanks to metal hydrides — and assesses their volumetric density, gravimetric performance, and practical limitations for energy applications.

2002 · Acuña Castroviejo et al. — Melatonin, mitochondrial homeostasis and mitochondrial-related diseases

Current topics in medicinal chemistry

This review covers melatonin's antioxidant role in protecting mitochondria from reactive oxygen species (ROS), and its potential relevance to neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases.

1988 · Scrimshaw — The acceptability of milk and milk products in populations with a high prevalence of lactose intolerance.

The American journal of clinical nutrition

Most humans lose the ability to digest lactose after infancy — and a standard lactose tolerance test is a poor predictor of whether an individual can actually consume moderate amounts of milk without symptoms.

1988 · Holm — Role of blood flow in gastric acid secretion.

The American journal of physiology

The relationship between blood flow and gastric acid secretion is more complex than long assumed: most measurement methods show no simple proportional link, but there is a critical minimum blood flow below which both oxygen use and acid secretion fall together.

2026 · Kuang — Exploratory Evaluation of Hydrogen-Rich Water Therapy for Keloid Management: A Double-Blinded Randomized Pilot Trial

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hydrogen-rich drinking water relieved pain and itching in keloid patients and dampened inflammatory and scar-forming messengers.

2025 · Kuzmanovic — The effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water for six weeks on exercise-related biomarkers in exercise-naïve men and women over 50 years following resistance training program: a randomized controlled pilot trial

Research in Sports Medicine

Hydrogen-rich water supports strength training from 50 on: In a randomized, double-blind pilot RCT (n = 27, age ~58 yrs), 6 weeks of H₂ water lowered markers of acute muscle damage significantly more than placebo, improved the blood lipid profile (total and LDL cholesterol ↓) and raised free testosterone (all p ≤ 0.05).

2025 · Khlifi — Pre-Exercise Ingestion of Hydrogen-Rich Cold Water Enhances Endurance Performance and Lactate Response in Heat

Medicina (Kaunas)

Hydrogen-rich cold water before exercise improves endurance performance in heat and dampens the lactate rise.

2023 · Najmanová — Effect of Acute Hydrogen-Rich Water Intake on Intraocular Pressure in Healthy Subjects

Ceska a slovenska oftalmologie

Rapidly drinking 1260 ml of fluid raises intraocular pressure — and with hydrogen-rich water (HRW) it does so clinically relevantly more often than with placebo.

2022 · Botek — Hydrogen Rich Water Consumption Positively Affects Muscle Performance, Lactate Response, and Alleviates Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness After Resistance Training

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Hydrogen-rich water improves muscle performance, lowers the lactate response and alleviates muscle soreness after resistance training.

2021 · Javorac — Hydrotherapy with hydrogen-rich water compared with RICE protocol following acute ankle sprain in professional athletes: a randomized non-inferiority pilot trial

Research in Sports Medicine

Hydrogen-rich baths were just as effective as the gold-standard RICE procedure (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for acute ankle sprain in professional athletes.

2021 · Zanini — The effects of 6-month hydrogen-rich water intake on molecular and phenotypic biomarkers of aging in older adults aged 70 years and over: A randomized controlled pilot trial

Experimental Gerontology

6 months of hydrogen water (0.5 L/day, 15 ppm) in 40 people over 70 lengthened the telomeres (a marker of cell aging) and improved brain metabolism as well as leg strength (chair-stand test, P = 0.01) — while telomeres shortened in the control group.

2020 · Ooi — Acute ingestion of hydrogen-rich water does not improve incremental treadmill running performance in endurance-trained athletes

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism

A single serving of hydrogen water shortly before the run brought no performance gain. In 14 endurance-trained runners, time to exhaustion, maximal oxygen uptake and perceived exertion did not differ from placebo.

2020 · Dobashi et al. — Hydrogen-rich water suppresses the reduction in blood total antioxidant capacity induced by 3 consecutive days of severe exercise in physically active males.

Medical gas research

In a crossover trial with 8 active men, drinking H₂-rich water (5.14 ppm) before and after each of 3 consecutive intense exercise sessions maintained the blood antioxidant status — measured as the BAP/d-ROM ratio — while placebo water allowed it to decline progressively.

2019 · Mikami — Drinking hydrogen water enhances endurance and relieves psychometric fatigue: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology

Hydrogen water shortly before exercise lowered the sensation of fatigue and increased endurance.

2019 · Botek — Hydrogen Rich Water Improved Ventilatory, Perceptual and Lactate Responses to Exercise

International Journal of Sports Medicine

600 ml of hydrogen water before exercise lowered the lactate level at high intensities and improved breathing efficiency and perception of effort.

2019 · Korovljev et al. — Hydrogen-rich water reduces liver fat accumulation and improves liver enzyme profiles in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Clinics and research in hepatology and gastroenterology

In a double-blind crossover trial with 12 overweight NAFLD patients, 28 days of 1 L/day hydrogen-rich water significantly reduced liver fat measured by MRI (from 284 to 256.5 mM, –2.9 %) and tended to lower aspartate transaminase by 10 %, compared to placebo.

2018 · Yoritaka — Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Trial of Hydrogen Water for Parkinson's Disease

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society

This multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial tested hydrogen-rich water in Parkinson's patients — and did not find a statistically significant overall improvement against placebo.

2018 · Nishimaki — Effects of Molecular Hydrogen Assessed by an Animal Model and a Randomized Clinical Study on Mild Cognitive Impairment

Current Alzheimer research

In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 73 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), H₂-water did not improve overall cognitive scores — but a specific genetic subgroup (APOE4 carriers) showed significant improvement.

2018 · Korovljev — Molecular Hydrogen Affects Body Composition, Metabolic Profiles, and Mitochondrial Function in Middle-Aged Overweight Women

Irish journal of medical science

A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover pilot trial in 10 overweight women found that hydrogen-generating mineral caplets significantly reduced body fat percentage and triglycerides while improving fasting insulin levels — without affecting body weight or BMI.

2016 · Yoritaka et al. — A randomized double-blind multi-center trial of hydrogen water for Parkinson's disease: protocol and baseline characteristics.

BMC neurology

This publication reports the protocol and baseline characteristics of a large multi-center RCT (n=178, 14 hospitals) designed to confirm whether 1000 mL/day of H₂ water can improve Parkinson's disease symptoms, as suggested by a prior smaller study.

2014 · Sakai et al. — Consumption of water containing over 3.5 mg of dissolved hydrogen could improve vascular endothelial function.

Vascular health and risk management

Drinking high-concentration hydrogen-rich water (7 ppm, 3.5 mg H₂ per 500 mL) significantly improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery compared to placebo.

2014 · Ostojic et al. — Effectiveness of oral and topical hydrogen for sports-related soft tissue injuries.

Postgraduate medicine

In male professional athletes with acute soft tissue injuries, adding oral hydrogen tablets (2 g/day) plus topical hydrogen-rich packs accelerated joint range-of-motion recovery and reduced plasma viscosity compared to standard treatment alone.

2014 · Ostojic et al. — Hydrogen-rich water affected blood alkalinity in physically active men.

Research in sports medicine (Print)

Drinking 2 L of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) daily for 14 days significantly raised both resting and post-exercise arterial blood pH, and elevated fasting bicarbonate levels, in 52 healthy physically active men — without any reported side effects.

2013 · Xia et al. — Effect of hydrogen-rich water on oxidative stress, liver function, and viral load in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Clinical and translational science

In 60 patients with chronic hepatitis B, adding hydrogen-rich water (1,200–1,800 mL/day for 6 weeks) to routine antiviral treatment markedly reduced oxidative stress markers — while liver function and HBV DNA levels improved similarly in both groups.

2013 · Yoritaka et al. — Pilot study of H₂ therapy in Parkinson's disease: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society

In a 48-week double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial, 17 levodopa-medicated Parkinson's patients drinking 1,000 mL/day of H₂-rich water showed improved UPDRS motor scores on average, while the placebo group worsened — a statistically significant difference despite the small sample size.

2013 · Matsumoto et al. — Effect of supplementation with hydrogen-rich water in patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

Urology

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT in 30 patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS), hydrogen-rich water did not significantly outperform placebo on any primary symptom endpoint after 8 weeks — though an exceptional responder rate (11%) was noted.

2026 · Pesotskaya — Hydration Bioanalyses of the Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Water (HRW)

Wiadomosci lekarskie (Warsaw, Poland : 1960)

Twenty-one days of daily hydrogen-rich water intake in healthy volunteers produced statistically significant decreases in hematocrit and blood viscosity, and reduced urine osmolality — all consistent with improved systemic hydration.

2026 · Li — Adjunctive Molecular Hydrogen Capsule Therapy in Empyema Complicated by Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy: A Case Report

In vivo (Athens, Greece)

A 76-year-old man with a rare combination of chest infection (Stage II empyema) and an autoimmune nerve disorder (CIDP) recovered after surgery plus adjuvant oral molecular hydrogen therapy.

2026 · Lin et al. — Adjunctive Molecular Hydrogen Therapy Modulates T Cell Markers and Reduces Anti-Ro Antibody in Refractory Oral Ulcers of Behçet's Disease and Sjögren's Syndrome: A Case Report

In vivo (Athens, Greece)

A 67-year-old woman with both Behçet's disease and primary Sjögren's syndrome — whose recurrent painful oral ulcers had not responded to years of standard therapy — showed marked clinical improvement and falling anti-Ro antibody levels after adding oral molecular hydrogen capsules to her regimen.

2025 · Wong et al. — Nano-Bubble Hydrogen Water in Wet-Wrap Dressing Improves the Severity of Pediatric Patients With Atopic Dermatitis

Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners

In 20 children with atopic dermatitis, wet-wrap dressings soaked in nano-bubble hydrogen water significantly reduced erythema, dryness, and total skin severity scores compared to baseline; in a split-body sub-study (8 patients), hydrogen-water-treated limbs improved significantly more than limbs treated with plain water.

2025 · Lui et al. — Predicting Therapeutic Response to Molecular Hydrogen in Autoimmune Diseases via Immunophenotyping

APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica

Can we predict in advance which autoimmune patients will benefit from H₂ therapy? This prospective study in 25 patients (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and others) developed a novel prediction index — the HRPI — based on immune cell profiles.

2024 · Lu — Using oral molecular hydrogen supplements to combat microinflammation in humans: a pilot observational study

International Journal of Medical Sciences

Solid oral hydrogen capsules lowered inflammation markers in chronically ill patients.

2024 · Chen — Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Aneurysmal SAH With RA and Newly-diagnosed SLE, Complicated With Acute Ischemic Infarction: A Case Report of Improved Immune Markers Including Tr1 Cells, Breg Cells and TIM3 Expression on Tc Cells.

In vivo (Athens, Greece)

A 44-year-old woman with a ruptured brain aneurysm, rheumatoid arthritis, and newly diagnosed lupus remained unconscious despite surgery, immunosuppressants, and plasmapheresis — until daily hydrogen capsules were added.

2024 · Lin — Early Hydrogen-Oxygen Gas Mixture Inhalation in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (HOMA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Trials

This is the published protocol for the first large-scale randomised controlled trial of hydrogen therapy in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH): 206 patients will inhale a 67% hydrogen / 33% oxygen gas mixture for 8 hours daily in the ICU, targeting delayed cerebral ischaemia and cerebral vasospasm.

2024 · Guan — Successful treatment of Behçet's disease ulcers and skin lesions with hydrogen water.

International journal of dermatology

A case report describing the successful use of hydrogen water in treating oral ulcers and skin lesions associated with Behçet's disease — a rare systemic vasculitis for which conventional therapies often provide incomplete relief.

2023 · Korovljev — Hydrogen-rich water upregulates fecal propionic acid levels in overweight adults.

Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)

Drinking hydrogen-rich water appears to increase the concentration of propionic acid in the stool of overweight adults — a short-chain fatty acid associated with gut health and metabolic regulation.

2023 · Sumbalová — The Effect of Adjuvant Therapy with Molecular Hydrogen on Endogenous Coenzyme Q10 Levels and Platelet Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

International journal of molecular sciences

In patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), eight weeks of hydrogen-rich water improved platelet mitochondrial energy production, raised coenzyme Q10 levels in platelets, and reduced oxidative stress markers — while placebo showed no significant changes.

2023 · Wang — Effects of molecular hydrogen intervention on the gut microbiome in methamphetamine abusers with mental disorder.

Brain research bulletin

In female methamphetamine users suffering from depression and anxiety, both drinking and inhaling molecular hydrogen significantly alleviated mental health symptoms — and hydrogen inhalation also shifted gut microbiome composition.

2022 · Dong — Short-Term Consumption of Hydrogen-Rich Water Enhances Power Performance and Heart Rate Recovery in Dragon Boat Athletes

International journal of environmental research and public health

Seven days of hydrogen-rich water improved maximum power output and post-exercise heart rate recovery in competitive dragon boat athletes compared to placebo water.

2021 · Hong — Effects of concomitant use of hydrogen water and photobiomodulation on Parkinson disease: A pilot study

Medicine

H₂ water combined with photobiomodulation lowered Parkinson symptom scores — safely and without side effects.

2021 · Si — Effects of hydrogen as adjuvant treatment for unstable angina

Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.)

In 40 patients with unstable angina, adding hydrogen-rich water to standard drug therapy for three months reduced angina symptoms and produced greater reductions in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B compared to standard treatment alone.

2020 · Qian — Hydrogen in Patients With Corticosteroid-Refractory/Dependent Chronic Graft-Versus-Host-Disease: A Single-Arm, Multicenter, Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial

Frontiers in Immunology

In chronic graft-versus-host disease that no longer responded to cortisone, 75 % of patients on hydrogen water achieved an objective improvement — without notable side effects.

2020 · Asada et al. — Effects of hydrogen-rich water prepared by alternating-current-electrolysis on antioxidant activity, DNA oxidative injuries, and diabetes-related markers.

Medical gas research

Hydrogen-rich water produced by alternating-current (AC) electrolysis — reaching nearly the theoretical maximum H₂ concentration of 1.55 mg/L — showed promising effects on blood glucose markers and systemic DNA oxidative damage in nine people with elevated diabetes-related serum markers over eight weeks.

2020 · Javorac et al. — Case Report: Acute hydrotherapy with super-saturated hydrogen-rich water for ankle sprain in a professional athlete.

F1000Research

A professional athlete with a grade II ankle sprain received six sessions of 30-minute H₂-rich water hydrotherapy within the first 24 hours post-injury, with notable improvements in pain (VAS 50 → 20), ankle swelling (–2.8 %), and dorsiflexion range of motion (+27.9 %) by the 24-hour follow-up.

2019 · Yang et al. — Skin ulcers infected with conditional pathogenic strains treated with local hydrogen water packing in two pemphigus vulgaris patients: Case reports with follow-up for 2 months.

Dermatologic therapy

Two patients with pemphigus vulgaris — an autoimmune blistering disorder — developed secondary skin ulcer infections with opportunistic pathogens that were treated with local wet packing using hydrogen water, resulting in healing over two months of follow-up.

2018 · Zhu — Positive Effects of Hydrogen-Water Bathing in Patients of Psoriasis and Parapsoriasis en Plaques

Scientific reports

In a parallel-controlled trial, hydrogen-water bathing achieved at least 75% improvement in psoriasis severity (PASI-75) in 24.4% of patients versus 2.9% in controls, with over half the patients reaching PASI-50 improvement.

2018 · Da Ponte — Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Prolonged Intermittent Exercise

The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness

Two weeks of hydrogen-rich water intake helped trained cyclists maintain peak power output during repeated all-out sprints over 30 minutes — where the placebo group showed significant power decline in the later sprints.

2015 · Ishibashi et al. — Improvement of psoriasis-associated arthritis and skin lesions by treatment with molecular hydrogen: A report of three cases.

Molecular medicine reports

In three patients with psoriasis-associated arthritis and skin lesions, H₂ treatment (via saline infusion, inhalation, and/or high-concentration drinking water) reduced DAS28 and PASI scores, caused near-complete clearing of skin lesions, and lowered inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-17, TNFα) in at least one patient.

2013 · Shimouchi et al. — Molecular hydrogen consumption in the human body during the inhalation of hydrogen gas.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Using a gas chromatography method, this study measured the rate at which the human body consumes inhaled H₂ gas and confirmed a consumption rate of approximately 0.7 µmol/min/m² body surface area — closely matching prior data from H₂-rich water ingestion.

2012 · Ostojic — Serum alkalinization and hydrogen-rich water in healthy men.

Mayo Clinic proceedings

This publication investigates serum alkalinization effects of hydrogen-rich water in healthy men. The full abstract was not available in the source data.

2012 · Shimouchi et al. — Estimation of Molecular Hydrogen Consumption in the Human Whole Body after Ingestion of Hydrogen-Rich Water

Advances in experimental medicine and biology

How much H₂ does the human body actually absorb and consume after drinking hydrogen-rich water?

2003 · Huang — Reduced hemodialysis-induced oxidative stress in end-stage renal disease patients by electrolyzed reduced water.

Kidney international

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing chronic hemodialysis showed significantly reduced oxidative stress markers and improved antioxidant status after one month of drinking electrolyzed reduced water (ERW).

2026 · Yang — Molecular hydrogen suppresses gut inflammation and pyroptosis in ulcerative colitis through promoting PKM2 lactylation to block NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

International immunopharmacology

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) reduces intestinal inflammation and cell death (pyroptosis) in ulcerative colitis by promoting a post-translational modification of the enzyme PKM2 — called lactylation — which in turn prevents the NLRP3 inflammasome from triggering inflammatory cascades.

2026 · Yano — Electrolyzed Hydrogen Water Improves Chemosensitivity to Anticancer Drugs by Potently Suppressing Autophagy

Journal of cellular and molecular medicine

Electrolyzed hydrogen water (EHW) suppressed autophagy — a recycling process cancer cells exploit to survive chemotherapy — and when combined with standard anticancer drugs (5-fluorouracil or paclitaxel), significantly reduced the viability of cervical and colorectal cancer cells in laboratory experiments.

2026 · Cao — A Hydrogen Generator Enhances Immunogenic Transarterial Chemoembolization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society

Adding a hydrogen-releasing material (nano-CaH₂) to the standard TACE (transarterial chemoembolization) procedure for liver cancer enabled local H₂ release that reduced tumor hypoxia, enhanced drug effectiveness, and activated anti-tumor immune responses — all demonstrated in animal models.

2026 · Wu — Hydrogen Ameliorates Psoriasis-Like Skin Inflammation via Inhibiting the cGAS-STING Pathway

Clinical and experimental immunology

In a mouse model of psoriasis, hydrogen-rich water significantly reduced skin inflammation by inhibiting the cGAS-STING signalling pathway — a key driver of the excessive immune activation characteristic of psoriasis.

2025 · Jingxuan — Four-dimensional Data Independent Acquisition Proteomics and Metabolomics Reveal Mechanisms of Hydrogen-rich Water at Zusanli (ST36) Point against Triple-negative Breast Cancer in Mice

Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan

Injecting hydrogen-rich water into the Zusanli acupuncture point (ST36) significantly inhibited tumour growth and enhanced cancer-cell apoptosis in a mouse model of triple-negative breast cancer, according to this animal study combining proteomics and metabolomics.

2025 · Seya — Hydrogen-rich Gas Enhances Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Respiratory Function Recovery in Caco-2 Cells Post-ischemia-reperfusion Injury

Biochemical and biophysical research communications

Hydrogen-rich gas restored mitochondrial function in human intestinal cells (Caco-2) after simulated ischemia-reperfusion injury, improving ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, and oxygen consumption while reducing cell death signals.

2025 · Cao — Nanobiocatalyst-Driven Spatiotemporal Hydrogen Delivery Induces Dormancy Potentiated Catalytic Tumor Therapy.

ACS nano

Colorectal cancer cells can be pushed into a dormant, non-dividing state by molecular hydrogen (H₂) — and this dormancy makes them far more vulnerable to oxidative attack.

2025 · Qiu — 3D printing combined with pH-induced 4D printed iron(III)-oxidized starch gels for controlled iron delivery and enhanced iron supplementation.

Carbohydrate polymers

Iron deficiency anaemia can be treated more effectively with a new type of 3D-/4D-printed starch gel that releases iron only in the small intestine, not in the stomach — improving bioavailability while reducing side effects.

2025 · An — Hydrogen activates ACOD1-itaconate pathway to ameliorate steroid-associated osteonecrosis

Biomaterials

Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) protects bone from cortisone damage: In the mouse model of steroid-induced bone necrosis, H₂ reduced the death of bone cells, improved bone structure and blood perfusion — via activation of the anti-inflammatory ACOD1-itaconate metabolic pathway.

2024 · Li — Hydrogen-rich water alleviates asthma airway inflammation by modulating tryptophan metabolism and activating aryl hydrocarbon receptor via gut microbiota regulation.

Free radical biology & medicine

In asthmatic mice, hydrogen-rich water (HRW) shifted gut bacteria toward beneficial species and raised levels of a key bacterial metabolite that calmed airway inflammation via a specific receptor pathway.

2024 · Chen — Hydrogen-rich water alleviates constipation by attenuating oxidative stress through the sirtuin1/nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway.

World journal of gastroenterology

In constipated rats, hydrogen-rich water (HRW) improved stool output, intestinal motility, and gut microbiota composition by reducing oxidative stress through a specific protective signalling pathway.

2024 · Wang — Combined use of hydrogen-rich water and enzyme-digested edible bird's nest improves PMA/LPS-impaired wound healing in human inflammatory gingival tissue equivalents.

Human cell

In a laboratory model of inflamed human gum tissue, the combination of hydrogen-rich water and a processed form of edible bird's nest significantly counteracted the wound-healing damage caused by an inflammatory stimulus.

2024 · Lu et al. — Decoupling the Mutual Promotion of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Mitigates Cognitive Decline and Depression-Like Behavior in rmTBI Mice by Promoting Myelin Renewal and Neuronal Survival

Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

In mice subjected to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI), early treatment with hydrogen-rich water (HRW) significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammasome activation, preserved myelin integrity, and improved both cognitive performance and depression-like behaviour.

2023 · Makav — The effect of hydrogen-rich water on letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome in rats

Reproductive biomedicine online

In a rat model of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), drinking hydrogen-rich water significantly reduced cyst numbers, lowered oxidative stress markers (MDA, cortisol, testosterone), and increased the antioxidant glutathione.

2023 · Wu — Ultrasound-Driven Piezoelectrocatalytic Immunoactivation of Deep Tumor

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)

A novel nanotechnology platform uses ultrasound to drive piezoelectric tin disulfide nanosheets (SSN) to generate H₂ locally inside tumors and simultaneously deplete lactic acid — a dual strategy designed to reactivate immune cells against deep liver tumors in mice.

2023 · Meng — Hydrogen-rich water treatment targets RT1-Db1 and RT1-Bb to alleviate premature ovarian failure in rats

PeerJ

In a cyclophosphamide-induced rat model of premature ovarian failure (POF), hydrogen-rich water restored hormonal markers (higher AMH and estradiol, lower FSH), reduced ovarian cell death, and — through proteomic analysis — identified two novel molecular targets, RT1-Db1 and RT1-Bb, potentially mediating H₂'s protective effect.

2023 · Zhu — Inorganic Nanosheet-Shielded Probiotics: A Self-Adaptable Oral Delivery System for Intestinal Disease Treatment

Nano letters

Researchers developed a nanomaterial coating for probiotic bacteria that resists stomach acid, then spontaneously degrades in the intestine to release hydrogen gas — simultaneously exposing the probiotics for their anti-inflammatory effect on colitis.

2022 · Chen et al. — Photocatalytic Glucose Depletion and Hydrogen Generation for Diabetic Wound Healing

Nature communications

Researchers engineered hydrogen-incorporated titanium oxide nanorods that, under visible light, simultaneously deplete glucose and generate molecular hydrogen (H₂) at diabetic wound sites — addressing both the hyperglycaemic microenvironment and chronic inflammation.

2022 · Asiain-Mira et al. — Hydrogen Production from Urea in Human Urine Using Segregated Systems

Water research

This study demonstrates a novel process for recovering energy from human urine by extracting urea, decomposing it thermally into ammonia, and then converting ammonia to hydrogen gas (H₂) — a potential energy fuel.

2022 · Ostojic — Hydrogen-Rich Water as a Dietary Activator of Brown Adipose Tissue and UCP1?

Annals of nutrition & metabolism

This short theoretical communication poses the question of whether hydrogen-rich water (HRW) could activate brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the thermogenic protein UCP1 — and thereby contribute to fat metabolism and energy expenditure.

2022 · Adzavon — Long-term and daily use of molecular hydrogen induces reprogramming of liver metabolism in rats by modulating NADP/NADPH redox pathways

Scientific reports

Rats exposed to molecular hydrogen for six months — either by drinking hydrogen-rich water or inhaling 4 % H₂ gas — showed reduced fat accumulation in the liver, lower blood lipid levels, and broad metabolic changes driven by the NADP/NADPH redox system.

2022 · Bulut — Hydrogen-rich water can reduce the formation of biogenic amines in butter

Food chemistry

Washing raw butter with hydrogen-rich water — prepared either by bubbling hydrogen gas or by adding magnesium — significantly reduced the formation of biogenic amines (including histamine, tryptamine, and spermidine) during 90 days of storage.

2022 · Mouzakis — Quantification of dissolved H₂ and continuous monitoring of hydrogen-rich water for haemodialysis applications: An experimental study

The International journal of artificial organs

This study validated a contactless electrochemical sensor for continuously measuring dissolved hydrogen concentrations in physiological solutions relevant to haemodialysis.

2022 · An — Gender-based differences in neuroprotective effects of hydrogen gas against intracerebral hemorrhage-induced depression

Neurochemistry international

In a mouse model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), hydrogen gas inhalation provided stronger neuroprotective effects against post-stroke depression in female mice than in males — and adding estrogen to male mice restored comparable H₂ efficacy.

2022 · Mizutani — Hydrogen-rich water reduced oxidative stress and renal fibrosis in rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Pediatric research

In a rat model of obstructive kidney injury, drinking hydrogen-rich water (HRW) for two weeks after surgery significantly reduced interstitial fibrosis and oxidative stress markers in the affected kidney.

2021 · Yin et al. — Hydrogen Gas with Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Improves Survival after Prolonged Cardiac Arrest in Rats

Journal of translational medicine

In a rat model of prolonged cardiac arrest, adding hydrogen gas (H₂) to extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) dramatically improved 4-hour survival: 78% with H₂ versus 22% without.

2021 · LeBaron et al. — An H₂-Infused, Nitric Oxide-Producing Functional Beverage as a Neuroprotective Agent for TBIs and Concussions

Journal of integrative neuroscience

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions currently lack effective medical treatments, and this paper argues that a combination of molecular hydrogen and nitric oxide — delivered via a functional beverage — could address multiple aspects of TBI pathophysiology simultaneously.

2021 · Ohta et al. — Reply to „Discussion: Drinking Hydrogen Water Enhances Endurance and Relieves Psychometric Fatigue: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study”

Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology

This is a short reply letter published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, responding to a discussion of a hydrogen water endurance study. No abstract is available for this correspondence.

2021 · Falster et al. — Discussion: Drinking Hydrogen Water Enhances Endurance and Relieves Psychometric Fatigue: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology

This is a published discussion letter commenting on a controlled trial of hydrogen water and athletic endurance. No abstract is available for this correspondence.

2021 · Kato — Carcinostatic effects of alkanoyl ascorbate plus platinum nano-colloid and stabilization of the esterolytically resultant ascorbate by hydrogen

Human cell

This in-vitro chemistry study found that a combination of a fatty-acid ascorbate ester (Asc6Palm) plus platinum nanoparticles suppressed human oesophageal cancer cell viability.

2021 · Li et al. — Hydrogen-rich water attenuates the radiotoxicity induced by tritium exposure in vitro and in vivo

Journal of radiation research

Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) reduces radioactive damage caused by tritiated water (HTO) — both in cultured human blood cells and in mice.

2021 · Ostojic — Does drinking water rich in hydrogen gas revive brain hypometabolism in neurodegeneration by SCFAs upregulation?

European journal of clinical nutrition

This theoretical commentary proposes a speculative mechanism: that hydrogen-rich water (HRW) might help restore brain energy metabolism in neurodegenerative disease by increasing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gut.

2020 · Kwon — Antioxidant Activity of Hydrogen Water Mask Pack Composed of Gel-Type Emulsion and Hydrogen Generation Powder

International journal of molecular sciences

A cosmetic mask pack containing zinc carbonate-derived hydrogen-generating powder was tested in vitro for antioxidant activity and in a small clinical pilot for skin density effects.

2020 · Li — Hydrogen Water Alleviates Paraquat-induced Lung Fibroblast Injury In Vitro by Enhancing Nrf2 Expression

Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University

In human lung fibroblasts exposed to the herbicide paraquat, hydrogen-rich water treatment reduced cell damage markers and inhibited fibrosis-related collagen production — an effect that worked through upregulation of the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2.

2020 · Kiyoi — Constitutive Hydrogen Inhalation Prevents Vascular Remodeling via Reduction of Oxidative Stress

PloS one

In a mouse model of cuff-induced vascular injury, continuous inhalation of 1.3 % hydrogen gas for several weeks significantly reduced abnormal vascular wall thickening (neointima formation) — an effect associated with decreased DNA damage and downregulation of the NADPH oxidase NOX1.

2020 · Ruaud — Syntrophy via Interspecies H₂ Transfer between Christensenella and Methanobrevibacter Underlies Their Global Cooccurrence in the Human Gut.

mBio

This microbiome study shows that gut bacteria of the genus Christensenella produce hydrogen gas (H₂) that is consumed by the archaeon Methanobrevibacter smithii — a metabolic partnership that explains why these two microbes co-occur globally and correlate with a lean body-mass index.

2020 · Yang — Hydrogen inhibits endometrial cancer growth via a ROS/NLRP3/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptotic pathway.

BMC cancer

In endometrial cancer cell lines and a xenograft mouse model, hydrogen-rich water increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells, activated the NLRP3 inflammasome/GSDMD pyroptosis pathway, and suppressed tumour growth.

2020 · Jiao — Protective effects of hydrogen-rich saline against experimental diabetic peripheral neuropathy via activation of the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel in rats.

Molecular medicine reports

In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, hydrogen-rich saline injected intraperitoneally for four weeks reduced behavioural, biochemical, and molecular markers of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), with effects partially mediated through mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (Mito-K-ATP) channels.

2019 · Li et al. — Effect of hydrogen-rich water on the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway in rats with myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes

In isolated rat hearts, drinking hydrogen-rich water before and during ischemia-reperfusion dramatically boosted the heart's own antioxidant defences — activating the Nrf2/ARE signalling pathway, increasing protective enzymes (NQO1, HO-1, SOD-1), and reducing oxidative damage (MDA).

2019 · Bordoni — Positive Effect of an Electrolyzed Reduced Water on Gut Permeability, Fecal Microbiota and Liver in an Animal Model of Parkinson's Disease

PloS one

In a rat model of Parkinson's disease induced by the pesticide permethrin, co-treatment with electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) protected the gut barrier, reduced liver inflammation, and shifted the gut microbiota toward a healthier profile.

2019 · Yamasaki — Effects of hydrogen-rich water in a rat model of polycystic kidney disease.

PloS one

In PCK rats — a rodent model of polycystic kidney disease — drinking hydrogen-rich water did not significantly reduce cyst growth compared to plain water when consumed in equivalent volumes.

2019 · Fan — Acid-Responsive H₂-Releasing 2D MgB₂ Nanosheet for Therapeutic Synergy and Side Effect Attenuation of Gastric Cancer Chemotherapy.

Advanced healthcare materials

Researchers engineered a magnesium boride (MgB₂) nanosheet that releases molecular hydrogen in acidic environments (such as the stomach) and combined it with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin in a gastric-tumor mouse model.

2018 · Jackson — Effects of alkaline-electrolyzed and hydrogen-rich water, in a high-fat-diet nonalcoholic fatty liver disease mouse model

World journal of gastroenterology

In mice fed a high-fat diet, only high-concentration hydrogen-rich water (0.8 mg H₂/L) — not electrolyzed-alkaline water with low H₂ (0.2 mg/L) — significantly reduced fat mass gain and liver lipid accumulation.

2018 · Yuan — Hydrogen-rich water attenuates oxidative stress in rats with traumatic brain injury via Nrf2 pathway

The Journal of surgical research

In a rat model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), hydrogen-rich water significantly improved survival, reduced neurological deficits, and lowered oxidative stress markers.

2018 · Ostojic — Inadequate Production of H₂ by Gut Microbiota and Parkinson Disease

Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM

This theoretical paper proposes that impaired H₂ production by intestinal bacteria may contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease, and discusses supplemental H₂ as a potential therapeutic direction.

2017 · Murakami — Molecular hydrogen protects against oxidative stress-induced SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell death through the process of mitohormesis

PloS one

In cultured human neuroblastoma cells, both H₂ gas and hydrogen-rich water boosted mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels while triggering a mild oxidative signal that activated Nrf2-pathway antioxidant enzymes — a hormetic response the authors call „mitohormesis“.

2017 · Xing — Hydrogen Rich Water Attenuates Renal Injury and Fibrosis by Regulation of TGF-β-Induced Sirt1

Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

Hydrogen-rich water reduced kidney fibrosis and dysfunction in a mouse model and prevented a critical cellular process — the transition of kidney epithelial cells into fibroblast-like cells — in human cell culture.

2017 · Kim — Inhibition of Streptococcal Biofilm by Hydrogen Water

Journal of dentistry

Electrolyzed hydrogen-rich water significantly inhibited streptococcal biofilm formation in laboratory cultures, reduced the expression of key biofilm-related genes, and — in a small oral-rinse trial — reduced the number of salivary streptococci compared with tap water.

2017 · Han — Hydrogen Treatment Protects against Cell Death and Senescence Induced by Oxidative Damage

Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

In mouse embryonic fibroblast cell cultures, nanoparticle hydrogen water suppressed hydroxyurea-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reduced signs of cellular ageing (β-galactosidase accumulation), and promoted cell proliferation.

2017 · Rigdon — Evaluation of Alkaline Electrolyzed Water to Replace Traditional Phosphate Enhancement Solutions: Effects on Water Holding Capacity, Tenderness, and Sensory Characteristics

Meat science

Alkaline electrolyzed water was tested as a potential replacement for industrial phosphate-based pork enhancement solutions, and it performed worse: pork chops treated with alkaline electrolyzed water lost more moisture, and there was no improvement in tenderness or sensory qualities compared with the industry standard.

2016 · Franceschelli — New Approach in Translational Medicine: Effects of Electrolyzed Reduced Water (ERW) on NF-κB/iNOS Pathway in U937 Cell Line under Altered Redox State

International journal of molecular sciences

In a cell culture experiment, electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) — which contains dissolved molecular hydrogen — protected human immune cells (U937) against hydrogen-peroxide-induced oxidative damage by restoring antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing inflammatory signalling via the NF-κB/iNOS pathway.

2016 · Lin — Molecular Hydrogen Suppresses Activated Wnt/β-catenin Signaling

Scientific reports

In cell culture and a rat osteoarthritis model, molecular hydrogen (H₂) suppressed abnormally activated Wnt/β-catenin signalling — a pathway implicated in cartilage breakdown — by promoting degradation of β-catenin, and tended to reduce cartilage loss in rats drinking H₂ water.

2016 · Hara — Molecular Hydrogen Alleviates Cellular Senescence in Endothelial Cells

Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society

In human vascular endothelial cells exposed to a toxic compound (TCDD), hydrogen-rich medium prevented signs of cellular ageing (senescence) even after H₂ had dissipated from the medium — an effect mediated by the antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2.

2016 · Muramatsu — Hydrogen-Rich Water Ameliorates Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) in Newborn Rats

Pediatric pulmonology

Hydrogen-rich water given to pregnant and nursing rats reduced lung damage caused by a bacterial toxin in newborn animals.

2015 · Lin et al. — Hydrogen-rich water attenuates amyloid β-induced cytotoxicity through upregulation of Sirt1-FoxO3a by stimulation of AMP-activated protein kinase in SK-N-MC cells.

Chemico-biological interactions

In neuronal cell culture, hydrogen-rich water (HRW) protected cells against amyloid beta (Aβ) — the peptide linked to Alzheimer's disease — both by directly neutralizing reactive oxygen species and by activating a protective cell-signaling cascade (AMPK → Sirt1 → FoxO3a).

2015 · Shi et al. — Hydrogen Therapy Reduces Oxidative Stress-associated Risks Following Acute and Chronic Exposure to High-altitude Environment.

Biomedical and environmental sciences : BES

This theoretical paper proposes that inhaling low-dose H₂ gas or drinking hydrogen-saturated water could prevent and treat mountain sickness by counteracting the oxidative stress caused by high-altitude low-oxygen and high-UV conditions.

2015 · Nkamga et al. — Diversity of human-associated Methanobrevibacter smithii isolates revealed by multispacer sequence typing.

Current microbiology

A new genotyping method (multispacer sequence typing, MST) applied to Methanobrevibacter smithii — the main hydrogen-consuming archaeon in the human gut — revealed 15 distinct genetic variants among isolates from oral cavity and gut of 12 individuals.

2014 · Zhang et al. — Effect of hydrogen-rich water on acute peritonitis of rat models.

International immunopharmacology

This animal study tested hydrogen-rich water (HRW) in three different rat models of acute peritonitis and found consistent protective effects: lower inflammatory markers, reduced oxidative damage, and decreased NF-κB expression in peritoneal tissue.

2014 · Brenner — Parkinson's disease may be due to failure of melanin in the Substantia Nigra to produce molecular hydrogen from dissociation of water.

Medical hypotheses

This is a speculative theoretical paper proposing that melanin in the brain's Substantia Nigra normally splits water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen — and that the loss of this capacity may underlie Parkinson's disease.

2014 · Mano et al. — Maternal molecular hydrogen administration ameliorates rat fetal hippocampal damage caused by in utero ischemia-reperfusion.

Free radical biology & medicine

In this rat study, pregnant mothers that drank hydrogen-saturated water passed measurable H₂ to the placenta, which protected fetal hippocampal neurons from ischemia-reperfusion injury — and improved the learning and memory of the offspring at 8 weeks of age.

2012 · Sun et al. — Oral intake of hydrogen-rich water inhibits intimal hyperplasia in arterialized vein grafts in rats.

Cardiovascular research

Vein grafts used in bypass surgery frequently fail due to intimal hyperplasia — thickening of the vessel wall that narrows the lumen over time.

2011 · Schoenfeld — Hydrogen Therapy May Reduce the Risks Related to Radiation-Induced Oxidative Stress in Space Flight

Medical hypotheses

This hypothesis paper proposes that astronauts exposed to cosmic radiation during space missions could benefit from H₂ therapy — via inhalation or hydrogen-rich drinking water — to counteract the oxidative and DNA damage caused by cosmic radiation.

2010 · Asada — Antitumor effects of nano-bubble hydrogen-dissolved water are enhanced by coexistent platinum colloid and the combined hyperthermia with apoptosis-like cell death.

Oncology reports

This laboratory (in-vitro/animal) study tested whether hydrogen-dissolved water — especially in combination with platinum colloid and mild heat (42 °C) — could inhibit the growth of tumour cells.

2010 · Liu — Oral administration of mannitol may be an effective treatment for ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Medical hypotheses

This hypothesis paper proposes that oral mannitol — a sugar alcohol that promotes bacterial hydrogen gas production in the colon — could protect organs from ischaemia-reperfusion injury by raising endogenous H₂ levels.

2010 · Bolca — Microbial equol production attenuates colonic methanogenesis and sulphidogenesis in vitro.

Anaerobe

This in-vitro gut microbiology study showed that equol-producing bacteria — which consume H₂ gas as part of converting the soy isoflavone daidzein into equol — competitively reduce methane and hydrogen sulphide production in the colon.

2009 · Suzuki — Are the effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on cardiovascular events related to elevated levels of hydrogen gas in the gastrointestinal tract?

FEBS letters

This theoretical paper proposes that the cardiovascular benefits of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (such as acarbose) may partly be explained by increased H₂ production in the gut.

2008 · Ye — Inhibitory effect of electrolyzed reduced water on tumor angiogenesis.

Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin

This in-vitro study found that electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) reduced VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) gene expression and protein secretion in a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, and inhibited in vitro formation of vascular tubules.

2006 · Lee et al. — Electrolyzed-reduced water protects against oxidative damage to DNA, RNA, and protein

Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Electrolyzed-reduced water (ERW) — which contains dissolved H₂ — significantly reduced H₂O₂-induced DNA strand breaks in human lymphocytes in the test tube, and also protected RNA and proteins from oxidative damage.

2002 · Peterson — Tritium doses from chronic atmospheric releases: a new approach proposed for regulatory compliance.

Health physics

This theoretical modelling study proposes an improved regulatory model (NEWTRIT) for calculating human doses from atmospheric tritium releases — including tritiated hydrogen gas (HT) and organically bound tritium in food.

2000 · Pletnev — Crystal structure of bovine duodenase, a serine protease, with dual trypsin and chymotrypsin-like specificities.

Proteins

This in-vitro structural study resolves the three-dimensional crystal structure of duodenase, a serine protease from bovine duodenum, at 2.4 Å resolution.

1999 · Ishikawa — A preventive effect of a selective endothelin-A receptor antagonist, S-0139, on the erythropoietin-induced reduction of the renal cortical blood flow.

Urological research

This animal study in Wistar rats shows that erythropoietin (EPO) reduces renal cortical blood flow (RCBF) by triggering endothelin-1 release, and that the selective ET-A receptor antagonist S-0139 can prevent this reduction.

1995 · Gillespie — Energetics of Molecular Hydrogen Oxidation in the Oral Pathogen Campylobacter rectus

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

This in-vitro study examined how the oral pathogen Campylobacter rectus oxidizes molecular hydrogen (H₂) as an energy source — a fundamental microbiology question about bacterial hydrogen metabolism in the oral cavity.

1991 · Kawano — Protective Effect of Rebamipide (OPC-12759) on the Gastric Mucosa in Rats and Humans

Nihon yakurigaku zasshi. Folia pharmacologica Japonica

This combined animal and small human study showed that rebamipide — a gastric mucosal protective drug — prevents HCl-ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats dose-dependently and significantly inhibits mucosal damage in healthy human volunteers, partly by improving mucosal microcirculation as measured by hydrogen gas clearance.