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

Abstract

Acute physical exercise increases reactive oxygen species in skeletal muscle, leading to tissue damage and fatigue. Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) acts as a therapeutic antioxidant directly or indirectly by inducing antioxidative enzymes. Here, we examined the effects of drinking H 2 water (H 2 -infused water) on psychometric fatigue and endurance capacity in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion. In Experiment 1, all participants drank only placebo water in the first cycle ergometer exercise session, and for comparison they drank either H 2 water or placebo water 30 min before exercise in the second examination. In these healthy non-trained participants (n = 99), psychometric fatigue judged by visual analogue scales was significantly decreased in the H 2 group after mild exercise. When each group was divided into 2 subgroups, the subgroup with higher visual analogue scale values was more sensitive to the effect of H 2 . In Experiment 2, trained participants (n = 60) were subjected to moderate exercise by cycle ergometer in a similar way as in Experiment 1, but exercise was performed 10 min after drinking H 2 water. Endurance and fatigue were significantly improved in the H 2 group as judged by maximal oxygen consumption and Borg’s scale, respectively. Taken together, drinking H 2 water just before exercise exhibited anti-fatigue and endurance effects.