Pilot study: Effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on muscle fatigue caused by acute exercise in elite athletes.

Abstract

A crossover double-blind pilot study enrolled 10 male soccer players (mean age 20.9 ± 1.3 years) who consumed hydrogen-rich water (HW) or placebo water (PW) over one-week intervals. Participants performed 30 minutes of cycling at 75% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), followed by 100 repetitions of maximal isokinetic knee extension. Blood lactate rose significantly in the PW group during intense exercise, whereas HW intake suppressed this elevation. Peak torque declined significantly in the PW group during the knee extension protocol, indicating muscle fatigue, while the HW group maintained torque in the early phase. No significant differences were detected in blood oxidative injury markers (d-ROMs and BAP) or creatine kinase between conditions. These preliminary findings indicate that pre-exercise hydration with hydrogen-rich water may attenuate lactate accumulation and help preserve muscle function during acute high-intensity exercise in athletes.

Mechanism

H2 in hydrogen-rich water is proposed to scavenge reactive oxygen species generated during intense muscle contraction, thereby reducing lactate accumulation and attenuating exercise-induced decline in muscle force production.