Scientific research gives insight into what drinking water enriched with molecular hydrogen can do for athletes and anyone engaged in sports.
Studies have shown that drinking molecular hydrogen water can significantly optimize sports performance*, as it acts as an effective hydration strategy and lowers blood lactate levels, reducing muscle fatigue.
Water rich in molecular hydrogen also helps accelerate recovery after intense exercise and reduces inflammation.
* This applies to both aerobic (longer training duration, light impact, burning of fats and carbohydrates with oxygen) and anaerobic (short training duration such as sprints, high impact, burning of carbohydrates without oxygen) performance.
In addition to its benefits for muscles, molecular hydrogen supports energy levels by optimizing cellular function and ATP production, which contributes to mental alertness. Molecular hydrogen also plays a role in maintaining cognitive function under stress including mental clarity and focus, which is essential for athletic performance. The benefits of molecular hydrogen for sports and athletes supported by scientific research demonstrate its potential as a valuable aid in sports and physical exercise.
MOLECULAR HYDROGEN FOR SPORTS AND ATHLETES: IMPROVED PERFORMANCE AND ENDURANCE
This study tested the effects of hydrogen-rich water on muscle fatigue caused by acute exercise in elite athletes and they concluded that “adequate hydration with hydrogen-rich water pre-exercise reduced blood lactate levels and improved exercise-induced decline of muscle function”.
This means athletes might be able to perform stronger for longer during physical activities, preventing muscle fatigue and helping maintain muscle function.
The consumption of hydrogen-rich water before exercise is associated with an increased ability to reduce fatigue, especially during the later stages of repeated sprint exercise.
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This study showed that acute pre-exercise supplementation with hydrogen-rich water reduced blood lactate at higher exercise intensities, improved exercise-induced perception of effort, and ventilatory efficiency.
A study involving healthy subjects using a graded treadmill exercise test to exhaustion found that acute supplementation with molecular hydrogen "significantly reduces exercising heart rate at submaximal intensities."
This shows that "hydrogen rich water could be a viable option as an ergogenic aid for athletes seeking to improve aerobic exercise performance", highlighting its high safety profile.
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Research involving cyclists showed that those who consumed hydrogen-rich water maintained peak power output during repetitive sprints, also suggesting improved endurance.
Intensive training increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skeletal muscle - oxidative stress - leading to tissue damage and fatigue. The antioxidant-like effects of molecular hydrogen can help mitigate oxidative stress in muscle cells, contributing to reduced muscle fatigue and improved endurance.
The findings of another study have illustrated that “drinking hydrogen water contributed to the maintenance of the redox status (reduction of oxidation) during consecutive days of strenuous exercise and might help prevent accumulative muscular fatigue.”
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These studies showed that the continuous supplementation of hydrogen water has the potential to improve both aerobic and anaerobic performance, proving to be an effective hydration strategy.
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An additional method through which H2 could potentially enhance endurance is by activating energy metabolism, supplying steady energy prior to, following, or amid exercise - it has the potential to boost the cell's capacity to sustain or generate additional energy.
IMPROVED RECOVERY AND REDUCTION OF INFLAMMATION
Another study showed that hydrogen rich water is of great promise to help accelerate the recovery from high-intensity exercise and to benefit the functional performance of rowing in elite dragon boat athletes, which is beneficial for them to increase power output, gain an advantage in the final sprint stage and reduce physical damage from accumulated fatigue.
Athletes often experience post-exercise muscle soreness and inflammation. Molecular hydrogen appears to be effective in managing inflammation by addressing oxidative stress, regulating cytokines and preventing excessive inflammatory responses: molecular hydrogen water appears to reduce oxidative stress in cells, potentially leading to less stimulation of pathways that may increase inflammation.
Studies suggest that molecular hydrogen water may help the body produce fewer pro-inflammatory cytokines (enzymes that are believed to increase inflammation) by possibly influencing various cellular pathways and mechanisms.
It seems that molecular hydrogen water promotes the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, enzymes that help fight inflammation within the body. Molecular hydrogen water might help inhibit inflammatory cell infiltration and the production of chemokines, potentially suppressing various immune and inflammatory responses.
The anti-inflammatory properties of molecular hydrogen water might aid in faster recovery by reducing inflammation and muscle discomfort.
Molecular hydrogen water can potentially decrease the overall stress on the body during and after exercise.
Recovery is vital for athletes and molecular hydrogen water has been found to aid in the treatment of sports-related soft tissue injuries, resulting in a faster return to normal joint range of motion.
Tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues are vulnerable to injury, especially in high-impact sports. Molecular hydrogen, with its antioxidant-like and anti-inflammatory effects, not only supports the health and integrity of these tissues, reducing the risk of strains or tears, but also aids in their recovery when injuries occur.
INCREASED ENERGY
Molecular hydrogen can combat fatigue beyond the muscular level. Its ability to support cellular function and maintain homeostasis may contribute to reduced fatigue by ensuring that cells operate optimally. Fatigue, particularly when chronic or persistent, can be linked to oxidative stress and inflammation within the body. As previously noted, molecular hydrogen exhibits antioxidant-like effects and anti-inflammatory properties, which have the potential to decrease levels of fatigue and alleviate symptoms associated with fatigue.
Energy in our bodies is driven by a molecule called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), known as the energy currency of the cell.
When ATP is broken down, energy is released, driving various cellular activities.
A study stated that “ATP levels directly reflect mitochondrial activity and several reports have suggested that hydrogen can protect the mitochondria from damage.”
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Another study shows that “molecular hydrogen may also be producing a hydrogen gradient, thus promoting mitochondrial ATP production independent of electron transport chain activity.”
HYDRATATION SUPPORT
Maintaining proper hydration is essential for athletic performance, especially since high-intensity exercise and extended physical activity can result in dehydration and imbalances in electrolytes.
Scientific literature shows that molecular hydrogen can improve or enhance cellular hydration when there is a deficit by acting on aquaporin activity or expression but cannot increase cellular hydration above what is optimal for a cell.
STRESS MANAGEMENT & MENTAL FOCUS
Exercise-induced inflammation can result in feelings of fatigue and mental fog, further affecting concentration and performance. Balancing all these factors is essential for achieving optimal results in any athletic context.
Improved hydration and reduced oxidative stress might positively impact mental clarity and focus during training and competition.
Studies indicate that molecular hydrogen water helps maintain cognitive function under stress, which is crucial for athletes, potentially leading to improved mental clarity. These results suggest that hydrogen rich water may be effective for reducing accumulated oxidative stress in the brain in daily life.
Additionally molecular hydrogen water contributes to the maintenance of central nervous system activity.
Molecular hydrogen also appears to improve mental alertness, potentially offering a safe and effective alternative to caffeine for sleep-deprived individuals: “The attention enhancement driven by water that is rich in molecular hydrogen appears along with changes in brain metabolism. Being generally recognized as a safe intervention, hydrogen could be thus recommended as a novel intervention that upholds attention in stressed conditions, with its metabolic footprint likely different from caffeine.”
CONCLUSION
Drinking water rich in molecular hydrogen is a simple and effective way to promote recovery, reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress and sports injuries with the potential for improving exercise performance.
This makes molecular hydrogen a promising form of hydration for athletes and in sports in general with a high safety profile and potential as a tool to improve athletic performance.
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