Application of Molecular Hydrogen as a Novel Antioxidant in Sports Science.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative literature review without systematic search or meta-analytic pooling.
PubMed 32015786 · doi:10.1155/2020/2328768
What was done
This narrative review synthesized existing research on molecular hydrogen (H2) as an antioxidant strategy in sports science. The authors reviewed biological mechanisms, routes of administration (such as oral intake of H2-rich water and H2 bathing), and available evidence regarding the effects of H2 on physiological and biochemical parameters related to exercise-induced oxidative stress across the six studies published at the time of writing.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative outcome data or effect sizes. It notes mechanistically that H2 is a small molecule that rapidly diffuses into cellular organelles and selectively reduces hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite without disrupting physiologically important reactive species. The authors report that research in healthy individuals and exercise is sparse, with only six studies published on exercise applications at the time of the review.
Why it matters
Intense exercise generates reactive oxygen species, and conventional high-dose antioxidant supplements can blunt training adaptations. Molecular hydrogen is proposed as a targeted alternative because of its selective radical-scavenging properties and membrane permeability.
Limits
The paper is a non-systematic narrative review. Empirical evidence in sports science is limited to just six early studies, sample sizes and protocols are not quantified in the abstract, and long-term functional or athletic performance outcomes remain unverified.
Cited by
- supports Hydrogen gas is the smallest molecule in existence and is instantly diffusible through the gut wall.