Hydrogen-rich water supplementation (2L daily for 14 days) significantly increased arterial blood pH and bicarbonate levels in physically active men, with greater alkalizing effects observed post-exercise. The intervention was safe with no adverse effects reported, suggesting HRW may be an effective and well-tolerated agent for mitigating exercise-induced metabolic acidosis in young, healthy males.
Plain-Language Summary
Researchers tested whether drinking 2 liters of hydrogen-rich water daily for 14 days would make the blood less acidic in physically active men. Fifty-two healthy male volunteers either drank hydrogen-rich water or regular tap water. The hydrogen-rich water group showed small but measurable increases in blood pH (a measure of acidity) both at rest and after exercise, with no reported side effects.
Abstract
Possible appliance of effective and safe alkalizing agent in the treatment of metabolic acidosis could be of particular interest to humans experiencing an increase in plasma acidity, such as exercise-induced acidosis. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that the daily oral intake of 2L of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) for 14 days would increase arterial blood alkalinity at baseline and post-exercise as compared with the placebo. This study was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 52 presumably healthy physically active male volunteers. Twenty-six participants received HRW and 26 a placebo (tap water) for 14 days. Arterial blood pH, partial pressure for carbon dioxide (pCO2), and bicarbonates were measured at baseline and postexercise at the start (day 0) and at the end of the intervention period (day 14). Intake of HRW significantly increased fasting arterial blood pH by 0.04 (95% confidence interval; 0.01 - 0.08; p < 0.001), and postexercise pH by 0.07 (95% confidence interval; 0.01 - 0.10; p = 0.03) after 14 days of intervention. Fasting bicarbonates were significantly higher in the HRW trial after the administration regimen as compared with the preadministration (30.5 ± 1.9 mEq/L vs. 28.3 ± 2.3 mEq/L; p < 0.0001). No volunteers withdrew before the end of the study, and no participant reported any vexatious side effects of supplementation. These results support the hypothesis that HRW administration is safe and may have an alkalizing effect in young physically active men.
