# Short-Term Consumption of Hydrogen-Rich Water Enhances Power Performance and Heart Rate Recovery in Dragon Boat Athletes: Evidence from a Pilot Study.
> 水素水の短期摂取がドラゴンボートアスリートのパワー発揮および心拍数回復に与える影響：パイロット研究


## Abstract

Eighteen dragon boat athletes training 4 hours daily were randomly assigned to a hydrogen-rich water (HRW) group (n=9) or a placebo water (PW) group (n=9) for 7 days. Performance was assessed using a 30-second rowing dynamometer test with heart rate monitoring at baseline (Day 1) and post-intervention (Day 8). The HRW group demonstrated significantly higher maximum and average power output, along with a lower peak heart rate during exercise. Heart rate recovery at 2 minutes post-exercise was significantly faster in the HRW group compared to the PW group, which showed no significant decline. No between-group differences were observed for 30-second rowing distance or predicted 500-meter rowing time. These findings suggest that short-term HRW consumption may support power performance and cardiovascular recovery in competitive athletes.

### Mechanism

The antioxidant properties of molecular hydrogen are proposed to reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress and fatigue accumulation, thereby supporting greater power output and accelerating autonomic cardiovascular recovery following intense physical exertion.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Dong G, Fu J, Bao D, Zhou J
- **Journal**: Int J Environ Res Public Health
- **Year**: 2022 (2022-04-29)
- **PMID**: [35564808](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35564808/)
- **DOI**: [10.3390/ijerph19095413](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095413)
- **PMC**: [PMC9104058](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9104058/)
- **Study type**: human randomized controlled trial
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: mixed

## 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 35564808. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/35564808
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [35564808](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35564808/)