The Effects of 12-Week Hydrogen-Rich Water Intake on Body Composition, Short-Chain Fatty Acids Turnover, and Brain Metabolism in Overweight Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors:   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Korovljev Darinka , Javorac Dejan ,   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Todorovic Nikola ,   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Ranisavljev Marijana ,   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Engeset Dagrun ,   Department of Nutrition and Public Health, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway, Holte Stea Tonje ,   Department of Health and Nursing Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway, Ostojic Jelena ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Bijelic Katarina ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Conic Branislava Srdjenovic ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Kladar Nebojsa ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Ratgeber Laszlo ,   Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary, Trunic Nenad ,   National Basketball Academy, Pécs, Hungary, Rajkovic Sava ,   National Basketball Academy, Pécs, Hungary, Stajer Valdemar ,   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, Ostojic Sergej M. ,   Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia,   Department of Nutrition and Public Health, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway,   Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
Published: May 2023

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to analyze the effects of medium-term supplementation with hydrogen-rich water on brain metabolism, appetite-regulating hormones, body composition, and safety biomarkers in overweight adults. Twenty (n = 20, 10 females) apparently healthy adults with a body mass index >24.9 kg/m2 were assigned to receive 0.5 L per day of hydrogen-rich water (7.5 mg of hydrogen) or hydrogen-free water (tap water) for 12 weeks. Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed a significant difference between the two interventions in several body composition indices (P ≤ 0.05), with hydrogen-rich water superior to placebo to reduce waist circumference and mid-upper arm circumference by 1.31 cm (95% confidence interval, from –0.23 to 2.85) and 0.65 cm (95% confidence interval, from –0.10 to 1.40), respectively. Hydrogen-rich water outcompeted placebo to raise serum ghrelin levels, as the mean difference from the placebo group was 17.28 pmol/L (95% confidence interval, from 1.81 to 32.75) (P = 0.02). A non-significant strong positive trend (P = 0.10) was reported toward hydrogen-rich water being superior to placebo in augmenting total serum short-chain fatty acid levels, with a mean difference from the control group of 195.6 μmol/L (95% confidence interval, from –64.55 to 275.85). The mean fecal calprotectin levels were significantly reduced after hydrogen-rich water intervention for 19.7 μg/mg (95% confidence interval, from 0.31 to 39.09) (P = 0.03). Our findings advance hydrogen-rich water as a promising metabolic intervention in overweight adults, but further validation via multicentric longitudinal randomized controlled trials in metabolic and nutritional disorders is required.