# Acute ingestion of hydrogen-rich water does not improve incremental treadmill running performance in endurance-trained athletes.
> 水素水の急性摂取は持久系アスリートのトレッドミル漸増負荷走行パフォーマンスを改善しない


## Abstract

This double-blind, crossover randomized controlled trial enrolled 14 endurance-trained male runners (mean age 34 years, body mass 63.1 kg) to evaluate whether acute ingestion of hydrogen-rich water (H-water) influences physiological responses and running performance. Participants consumed two 290-mL boluses of H-water or placebo: one before six submaximal 4-minute running stages and one before an incremental test to exhaustion. Cardiorespiratory variables, ratings of perceived exertion, and blood gas indices were comparable between conditions across submaximal intensities (34%–91% VO2max). Time to exhaustion (618 vs. 619 s), maximal oxygen uptake (~57 mL·kg·min), peak heart rate (184 beat·min), and perceived exertion scores were statistically indistinguishable between H-water and placebo trials. The findings indicate that this dosing regimen of H-water neither enhances endurance running capacity nor modulates buffering capacity during high-intensity exercise in trained athletes.

### Mechanism

H-water was hypothesized to modulate acid-base buffering during intense exercise; however, two 290-mL doses produced no measurable changes in blood gas indices or cardiorespiratory parameters compared with placebo.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Ooi CH, Ng SK, Omar EA
- **Journal**: Appl Physiol Nutr Metab
- **Year**: 2020
- **PMID**: [31675478](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31675478/)
- **DOI**: [10.1139/apnm-2019-0553](https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2019-0553)
- **Study type**: human randomized controlled trial
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: null

## Delivery context

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

## Safety notes

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

See also:
- [Inhalation concentration and LFL / UFL](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/inhalation-concentration)
- [Consumer Affairs Agency accident cases](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/accident-cases)
- [Inhalation safety threshold lineage](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/lineage)

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> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 31675478. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/31675478
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [31675478](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31675478/)