Oral Administration of Hydrogen-rich Water: Biomedical Activities, Potential Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is considered a biological antioxidant. Hydrogen-rich Water (HRW) is regular water that contains dissolved H2 and has become more widely used in recent years. This review summarizes the basic research and clinical applications of HRW consumption to support its use for daily health and clinical treatment. The biological effects of HRW include reducing oxidative stress, exerting antiinflammatory effects, regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, protecting mitochondrial function, and regulating apoptosis. Hypotheses about the mechanisms of H2 include the direct scavenging of toxic free radicals, the Fe-porphyrin biosensor hypothesis, the effect of H2 on biological enzymes, the lipoprotein regulation of H2, and H2 acting on the intestinal barrier. Clinically, HRW has been used for adjuvant treatment, disease prevention, and quality of life improvement. In the future, more in-depth studies and large-scale clinical trials are needed.