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January 2016
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Drinking Water Infused with Molecular Hydrogen (H2)
Monday, January 4th, 2016An atom of hydrogen consists of one proton and one unpaired electron which means that it is a free radical. However an atom of hydrogen rarely exists on its own because its unpaired electron eagerly seeks to join up with another electron. The molecular form of hydrogen is more common. (See Forms of Hydrogen article.)
What is Molecular Hydrogen (H2)?
H2 is a gas which forms when two hydrogen atoms bond together and become a hydrogen molecule. H2 is also called molecular hydrogen. It is the most common form of hydrogen because it is stable with a neutral charge. It consists of two protons and two electrons.
H2 is not a free radical. It is the antioxidant in ‘hydrogen-rich’ water.H2 is the smallest molecule in the universe. That means it can go where nothing else can …including into your mitochondria which are the powerhouses of your cells. Hydrogen gas should not be kept in plastic because hydorgen will pass right through the walls of a plastic container.
The benefits of drinking Molecular Hydogen (H2) dissolved in water
Molecular hydrogen (H2) dissolved in water…
- boosts hydration and water’s potential for transporting nutrients into and toxic waste out of our cells. Dehydration results in aging, pain, and disease.
- is an anti-oxidant with a unique ability to neutralize free radicals and the negative effects of stress that cause aging. Unlike other anti-oxidants which become free radicals themselves upon donating an electron to neutralize a free radical, when H2 neutralizes a free radical the by-product is simply H20.
- is a selective anti-oxidant. It scavenges the most toxic oxidative species such as the hydroxl radical yet is much less effective at neutralizing free radicals that are important (in small concentrations) for cell signalling.
- boosts energy and increases ATP production.
- provides natural relief from pain and inflammation.
Molecular hydrogen (H2) is so small that it rapidly penetrates cells to support nuclei and mitochondria. Hydrogen passes through the blood-brain barrier, an action that most other anti-oxidants cannot accomplish.
Research and clinical studies indicate that Molecular Hydrogen (H2) may have therapeutic and preventive applications related to many conditions including Parkinson’s, cardio-vascular disease, diabetes, cancer, degenerative conditions and inflammatory diseases such as gout and arthritis.
Here is an excellent report entitled ‘Clinical Effects of Hydrogen Administration: From Animal and Human Diseases to Exercise Medicine’ published in the International Journal of Clinical Medicine, January 2016.
References:
Toru Ishibashi. Molecular Hydrogen: New Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Related Diseases. Curr Pharm Des. 2013 Oct; 19: 6375–6381. PMCID: PMC3788323
Kang et al. Effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on the quality of life of patients treated with radiotherapy for liver tumors.
Medical Gas Research 2011, 1:11 doi:10.1186/2045-9912-1-11
http://www.medicalgasresearch.com/content/1/1/11Ohta et al. The 2011 Medical Molecular Hydrogen Symposium: An inaugural symposium of the journal Medical Gas Research.
Medical Gas Research 2011, 1:10 doi:10.1186/2045-9912-1-10
http://www.medicalgasresearch.com/content/1/1/10Kawaguchi M, et al. Molecular hydrogen attenuates neuropathic pain in mice. PLoS One. 2014.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24941001/Yu Lai. Hydrogen holds promise as a safe and effective antioxidant for alcohol. Hypothesis 2012, 10(1): e2, doi:10.5779/hypothesis.v10i1.275 (2012)
http://www.hypothesisjournal.co/?p=1282#sthash.oilTP2jN.5Jb0uEwy.dpufZunmin Du et al. Three hydrogen-rich solutions protect against intestinal injury in uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock.
Int J Clin Exp Med. 2015; 8(5): 7620–7626. PMCID: PMC4509253Fujita et al. Hydrogen in Drinking Water Reduces Dopaminergic Neuronal Loss in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease. PLoS One. 2009 Sep 30;4(9):e7247.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007247. PMID: 19789628 PMCID: PMC2747267Ohta. Recent Progress Toward Hydrogen Medicine: Potential of Molecular Hydrogen for Preventive and Therapeutic Applications. Curr Pharm Des 17:2241-52 (2011)
Hong et al. Hydrogen as a Selective Anti-Oxidant: a Review of Clinical and Experimental Studies. J Int Med Res 38:1893-1903 (2010)
Acknowledgement: Many thanks to Tyler LeBaron and the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation for his valuable work and information regarding the studies, properties and use of molecular hydrogen gas.
Disclaimer: The information and recommendations provided on this website have not been evaluated by Health Canada and are for educational purposes only. The products and information offered on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always ask your doctor before using any products.
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FAQs About Drinking Hydrogen-Rich Water
Monday, January 4th, 2016What is hydrogen-rich water (also called hydrogen water)?
Just as carbonated water and carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide gas (CO2), hydrogen water is infused with dissolved hydrogen gas (H2, also known as molecular hydrogen).
Don’t we get H2 when we drink H2O?
Everything contains hydrogen. It is the most abundant element in the universe. However hydrogen is usually bound to other atoms and molecules and therefore not available purely as H2.
Just as we don’t get oxygen from H2O, we don’t get H2 from water. This is because H2 and O2 in H20 are not available because they are chemically bound to the water molecule.
When used therapeutically hydrogen is dissolved into water in its molecular form, H2.
What about the explosive nature of hydrogen gas?
H2 (hydrogen gas) is highly explosive and O2 (oxygen gas) enables fire. However when they are bound together as H2O they create that which extinguishes fire: water.
Hydrogen gas is extremely explosive in air when its concentration exceeds 4.6% by volume. It is not explosive when dissolved in water to form hydrogen-rich water.
Doesn’t hydrogen make water more acidic?
H2 is a neutral gas formed by the joining of two H atoms. It is a different form of hydrogen than the positively charged hydrogen ion (H+) which determines pH. (See Forms of Hydrogen article).
Doesn’t H20 plus H2 make hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)?
Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a neutral gas which can be dissolved into water. However when H2 is added to water it cannot bind or react with H2O to create a new form of molecule. ‘Hydrogen-rich’ water does not form hydrogen peroxide.
Since hydrogen gas is so volatile, how can it stay dissolved in water long enough to offer any benefit?
Just as carbonated drinks start to gas off as soon as the lid is removed, H2 will start to escape immediately. Similarly, it takes time for all of the dissolved H2 to escape from water. Hydrogen-rich water is best contained in a bottle with a narrow mouth, a narrow diameter (small water-to-air-exposure surface area), filled to the brim, agitated as little as possible and consumed as soon as possible.
What is the solubility of hydrogen in water?
The solubility of molecular hydrogen in water maxes out at 1.6 mg/L.* Hydrogen is not very soluble because it is a neutral molecule. However H2 is the smallest, lightest known molecule in the universe therefore the number of molecules in 1mg of H2 exceeds the same amount of any other substance. The antioxidant power of H2 exceeds the equivalent amount (by volume or weight) of any other antioxidant substance.
How much hydrogen-rich water should one drink to get benefits?
Studies showing the beneficial effects of molecular hydrogen on humans are generally based on concentrations of 1-3 mg/L* of dissolved H2. Higher or lower concentrations may apply for different conditions and individuals. Effective concentrations may vary with conditions and individuals. These quantities are still being investigated by scientists and researchers. It appears that one cannot get too much H2. Any excess is simply exhaled and does not over-accumulate in the body.
If water contains 1mg/L* of dissolved molecular hydrogen, drinking two litres of that water gives 2 mg of H2.
How long has molecular hydrogen been used for therapeutic benefits?
H2 is natural to our bodies. Large amounts of it are produced by gut bacteria after eating fruits, vegetables and fibre-rich foods.
There are records of hydrogen gas being used for medical benefit (anti-inflammatory) that date back as far as 1798. The history of its use indicates that hydrogen gas can be very safe at concentrations hundreds of times higher than therapeutic doses typically applied today.
Hydrogen was used without toxic effects to locate gunshot wounds in the intestines in the late 1800’s.
Since 1943, high concentrations of hydrogen gas have been used to prevent decompression sickness in deep sea divers.
The therapeutic use of H2 did not emerge on the modern scientific horizon until 2007 when an article about the benefits of hydrogen was published in the prestigious journal of Nature Medicine by Dr. Ohta’s group.
. . .
*1mg/L is equivalent to 1ppm (parts per million)
Acknowledgement: Many thanks to Tyler LeBaron and the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation for his valuable work and information regarding the studies, properties and use of molecular hydrogen gas.
New Hydrogen products coming soon!
Disclaimer: The information and recommendations provided on this website have not been evaluated by Health Canada and are for educational purposes only. The products and information offered on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always ask your doctor before using any products.
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