Smart Summary: Hydrogen Water Pros and Cons
Independent studies suggest benefits for chronic inflammation, improvements in energy levels, and reductions in oxidative stress indicators which often accompany disease. Drawbacks include lack of research on its anti-aging effects. Hydrogen water can be made at home and is recognized as safe by the FDA.
Have you been hearing about the effects of hydrogen water on your body? According to various studies, when hydrogen gas is added to water, antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory responses are increased. There are pros and cons of hydrogen water to consider as well.
Research has shown that hydrogen water has the ability to improve muscle recovery after a workout and also increases energy, but others say that it can slow down aging the process and even heal your body within.
The latest hydrogen water machine reviews also show that you can create this type of water from home, which vastly improves the delivery of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We created a guide to look at more hydrogen pros and cons.
Is Hydrogen Water Good for You? See Pros and Cons
Hydrogen water is recognized as safe by the FDA, and it is approved for human consumption. However, does that mean it’s good for you and does hydrogen water include any benefits over regular water?
Multiple studies have been conducted, but research shows that hydrogen water has some health benefits and is clinically proven to lessen muscle fatigue. However, more research is still needed and there isn’t an industry standard on the amount of hydrogen you should consume to maintain these benefits.
One thing to note is that hydrogen water is not different from regular water in taste or nutritional information. There are no additional calories, proteins, carbohydrates, or fat in hydrogen water. Its structure is simply modified to include more hydrogen.
However, mineral and vitamin content can vary depending on the type of hydrogen water you consume. For example, hydrogen water machines may infuse water with trace amounts of minerals and vitamins, including:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Magnesium sulfate
- Calcium carbonate
- Sodium sulfate
- Potassium
These are just a few things to consider before understanding the pros and cons of hydrogen water. Below, we highlight some of the known and studied benefits of hydrogen water, as well as some of the cons that have been identified by researchers and consumers of hydrogen water.
Pros of Hydrogen Water
While many experts have pointed at various benefits of drinking hydrogen water, research is still ongoing on how to best improve delivery and pinpoint the exact effects on the human body. Studies have found that hydrogen water’s effectiveness varies and seems to apply anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties differently. Here are the pros of hydrogen water:
Provides Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidants
Everyone has a certain number of free radicals in their bodies, which are unstable molecules that create oxidative stress. Multiple studies have linked oxidative stress to cancer and other diseases.
However, molecular hydrogen can fight free radicals in your body and even prevent the disastrous problems related to oxidative stress. One of the indicators that it has higher anti-inflammatory properties is the study with liver cancer patients. During the trial, it was shown that those drinking hydrogen water experienced lower levels of hydroperoxide, which is a marker of oxidative stress.
Benefits for Those With Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess belly fat, and higher triglyceride levels. Chronic inflammation is one of the reasons that these levels continue to rise. It’s thought that hydrogen water is effective at reducing chronic inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
In one study, 20 patients with metabolic syndrome drank 34 ounces of hydrogen water per day. The results showed that patients had increases in good HDL cholesterol levels and reduced levels of inflammatory markers.
Reduce Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
For anyone undergoing radiation therapy, fatigue, nausea, headaches, hair loss, and other health problems are unavoidable. However, a study of 49 patients with liver cancer found that drinking hydrogen water for six weeks while undergoing radiation therapy was helpful and improved the quality of life dramatically.
The group drinking non-hydrogen water reported a lower quality of life than those who drank hydrogen-rich water for the entire six weeks. However further research is needed to determine how beneficial hydrogen water can really be for radiation treatment recipients.
Improves Athletic Performance
Multiple studies have found that hydrogen water increases energy, while also reducing recovery time after intense training, and may also reduce inflammation. One study included soccer players who drank hydrogen water. The research showed that they experienced less muscle fatigue and improved muscle function, even after intense training.
Preventing Disease
Does hydrogen water truly make you disease-proof? The jury is still out on this one, but studies have found antioxidants in hydrogen water. This means that drinking hydrogen water, especially right after it’s been hydrogenated through a hydrogen water machine, can prevent oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress has been linked to a number of cancers and other diseases. Current research suggests that the anti-inflammatory properties in hydrogen water can also prevent heart disease and other illnesses.
Cons of Hydrogen Water
Current research and experts have not indicated any risks of drinking hydrogen water. However, more research has been called for as there are critics who wonder if hydrogen water’s benefits are greater than normal water or just staying more hydrated.
We’ve identified a few risks based on consumer reports and reviews.
Not All Hydrogen Water Products are the Same
Research has shown that not all hydrogen water products contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This is because hydrogen water tends to lose its potency rather quickly. That’s why it’s important to look at the hydrogen content and even test your water if you want to see if the water bottles and tablets you’re buying actually work. In many cases, these are not as potent as hydrogen water machines.
Read Hydrogen Water Machine Reviews First
If you plan on buying a hydrogen water machine, you want something that can produce the highest amount of antioxidants. Multiple machines offer filtration and alkalizers in addition to hydrogenated water. You also want to find a machine that offers more functions and quick dispensing.
More Research Needed
At this time, there isn’t a standard on the amount of hydrogen water you need to drink to see results from anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There also isn’t a standard on how much hydrogen gas should be added to water.
While research has found that it’s better to create your own hydrogen water at home and drink it quickly after generation, it’s not known how much hydrogen water should be consumed to see the effects.
Hyped Up on Anti-Aging Benefits
One thing you should look out for is any product claiming that hydrogen water can reverse aging. Some marketing materials are referring to hydrogen water as a “fountain of youth” product, which when consumed may stop the signs of aging. There hasn’t been much research into this claim, and it really comes from consumers who feel more energetic and less fatigued after consuming hydrogen water.
However, there aren’t any specific indicators that hydrogen water will turn back the clock just from drinking it. There are some doctors, such as Sarah L. Ash, Ph.D., at North Carolina State University who says that there is interesting evidence that hydrogen water has health benefits but it’s not a cure-all. It won’t give you the ability to leap from tall buildings in a single bound, but it may give your body a boost.
May Not Be Effective if In Permeable Container
Some research indicates that hydrogen water is only effective when generated by a hydrogen water machine because you can ingest it quickly. You may also want to look for hydrogen water in non-permeable containers, as experts say antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties will fade over a period of time, typically starting 6 hours after hydrogenation.
Hydrogen Water FAQs
What are the side effects of Hydrogen Water?
There are no known negative side effects of hydrogen water. It’s perfectly safe to drink. Positive side effects include improved mood, more energy, less muscle fatigue after workouts, reduced nausea for radiation therapy patients, and healing benefits due to anti-inflammatory properties.
Is drinking Hydrogen Water good for health?
Most studies have concluded that hydrogen water can improve your health, especially if someone wants to reduce oxidative stress in their body by drinking more antioxidants.
When should you drink Hydrogen Water?
You can drink hydrogen water at any time, but for athletes or those undergoing radiation therapy, specific ingestion times can improve delivery of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. For example, athletes may want to drink hydrogen water before and after a workout.
For those undergoing radiation therapy, drinking hydrogen water before treatment may prevent nausea and headaches.
Is Hydrogen Water good for Kidneys?
Due to its elevated hydrogen content, one study has found that hydrogen water can help with kidney disease. While more research is needed with human trials, initial research shows that drinking more hydrogen water improves problems with kidney disease in rats.
Is it safe to drink hydrogen water?
Yes, there are currently no known risks to drinking hydrogen water. It’s just like drinking a regular glass of water. Hydrogen is also the most abundant molecule in our environment, so it doesn’t pose a threat to anyone to drink it.
How do you drink Hydrogen Water?
Drinking hydrogen water is just like drinking a regular glass of water. However, there are different ways to create hydrogen water with tablets, and you can even buy hydrogen water bottles. However, you want to check that these are just as effective as generating your own hydrogen water through a hydrogen water machine or water filtration system.
Does Hydrogen Water detox your body?
If you increase your intake of water and hydrate more, you’re already on a path to detox. Adding hydrogen gas to water seems to accelerate the delivery of antioxidants and important anti-inflammatory properties that your body needs to fight off infection, disease, and other oxidative stress issues.
Should You Drink Hydrogen Water?
Current research has proven that hydrogen water can reduce oxidative stress, especially for anyone in training or going through intense therapy, such as radiation therapy. It can boost your performance and improve certain conditions, such as metabolic syndrome and possibly even kidney disease. More research is ongoing into just how potent hydrogen water can be for these specific cases and beyond. In one study, it was also found that hydrogen-rich water can reduce inflammatory responses and stop apoptosis of peripheral blood cells in healthy adults. This study is just the beginning into ways to use hydrogen water to improve the quality of life and prevent disease in certain cancer and disease patients.