We all know that water fuels life; it runs through our dams, irrigates our crops, and fuels our cells. With athletes in particular, water mixed with additives, electrolytes, and supplements has become an increasingly favored means to both hydrate and power the body.  But have you heard of Hydrogen rich water, and its potential benefits for the athlete?

Studies have indicated that an especially rich or concentrated intake of molecular hydrogen into the body can help our cells to recover during intense exercise, and may help counter-balance the fatigue and inflammation caused by robust physical activity. In the long-run, increased hydrogen intake can improve athletic performance, and better equip the body to cope with the rigors of long-term and intense activity and exercise.

So why should you, as an athlete, consider drinking hydrogen rich water, and what are the benefits to our health and performance?

Reason 1: A Natural Solution

While some of the most popular athletic recovery substances are often complex and chemically elaborate, hydrogen is a simple, natural element which the body can readily recognize, process, and use to its advantage. As a key component of water, hydrogen is already present within our bodies and cells, and introducing more of it into our systems through vehicles such as hydrogen rich water gives our cells a natural, healthy substance that can be readily and efficiently used for cellular recovery and stamina.

Hydrogen rich water simply infuses water with even more hydrogen; similar to how water can be infused with carbon to create soda water. And as hydrogen is naturally a component of water as it is, you’re getting a beverage which is infused with even more of what makes it innately healthy, beneficial, and good for the body.

Reason 2: Reduced Inflammation

Inflammation occurs in the human body in response to stress, infection, and injury. While it is a natural response meant to protect the body, the inflammation our tissues endure as we stress our muscles through exercise can cause fatigue. This inflammation ignites as a result of what physicians call “oxidative stress”; hence the uses of what are commonly called “anti-oxidants” to reduce swelling and improve cell health.

Hydrogen rich water has been shown to reduce inflammation in high-performance athletes better than un-enriched water, as the rich and concentrated amount of hydrogen acts as a counter-balance to the excessive oxidation of the body under stress, allowing the athlete to perform better, with muscles that are more relaxed, and less inflamed. This means greater stamina, less exhaustion, better performance, and stronger endurance than one would gain from drinking water alone.

Reason 3: Simultaneous Hydration

One of the most obvious reasons to drink hydrogen rich water is the efficient and refreshing combination of something your body already needs (water), and a boost of anti-oxidizing hydrogen. Water is the simplest and most natural fluid for our bodies to process, use, and benefit from. It immediately revitalizes and refreshes our cells, and hydration improves not only physical but also mental performance and cognitive ability during athletic activities.

Competitive sports in particular involve not only physical strength but also an agile and creative mind, quick-thinking, and an ability to strategize and plan ahead. Treating your body to hydrogen rich water will fuel your mind and muscles with a natural and easily absorbed fuel, which will quench tired cells and muscles, while invigorating them, and protecting against exhaustion. In addition, water is relatively easy to transport; a drinking bottle is one of the simplest and lightest-weight things to bring along with you on the track, field, court, or road.

Reason 4: Improves Athletic Performance

Studies have shown that molecular hydrogen can reduce lactic acid build up in athletes which is a precursor to better performance. Studies have shown that in addition to reducing inflammation using molecular hydrogen can help reduce the amount of lactic acid build up with is very important for performance.

Reason 5: Better for Your Heart

In addition to aiding in muscle recovery, hydrogen rich water can also improve cardiovascular performance, and help the heart to perform with less wear and tear.

There is evidence that drinking hydrogen rich water during exercise can improve heart performance, allow the heart to function more efficiently, and improve respiration. The more efficient one’s heart is, the more oxygen can reach tired muscles via respiration and circulation. Improved heart health will allow the athlete to enjoy better performance in the present, as well as a better potential quality of life in the long-run.

Reason 6 : Drinking Hydrogen Water Is Convenient

Let’s be practical; while hydrogen baths and inhaled vapor therapy may be effective and useful, they’re not very well suited for use by the athlete on the track. Hydrogen rich water is portable, handy, and can be carried in any athlete’s water bottle, allowing one to refresh and refuel tired muscles on-the-go.

The industry of hydrogen water is beginning to take off; this means that the consumer has a variety of options to choose from, can compare and contrast different brands, and always have a small, activity-friendly bottle to carry with them.

Reason 7: Price

While an athlete might spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year on special supplements, remedies, and formulas, the relative affordability of hydrogen water compared to other products makes it an ideal choice for those wishing to improve performance, hydrate, and refuel cells, without breaking the bank.

Hydrogen water supplies you with a natural and simple formula, which can achieve both hydration and endurance, while refreshing cells and reducing tissue inflammation. This means you get four benefits to your body (and game) in a single product, costing less than half of what multiple items seeking the same effects would. You save money, and your body saves its strength.

Conclusion

There you have it! Seven great, affordable, medical, and practical reasons to consider using hydrogen-infused water as a part of your workout regimen. Whether you’re a new athlete or a seasoned pro, this natural, simple beverage can give you everything you need and more as an athlete, and can even improve your health and well-being off-court, too. While a drinking bottle may be one of the most ubiquitous and portable items in an athlete’s arsenal, there are still more ways to benefit from and absorb hydrogen in a medical context. Check out our 10 Benefits of Molecular Hydrogen for Your Health.

In fact drinking molecular not the only way to get this amazing molecular into the body. Here are 4 other methods that you can intake molecular hydrogen for it’s health benefits.

Method 1: Concentrated H2 Saline Injection

A technique for molecular hydrogen admission utilized in a medical facility settings is the molecular hydrogen saline infusion. A sack of saline (salt water) is imbued with molecular hydrogen gas which is then infused specifically into the circulation system of patients. Research has shown that concentrated hydrogen injection of hydrogen-rich saline can improve cellular function, aid in recovery due to cellular and muscular injury, and even help in recovery from brain trauma in rats.

Method 2: Pure H2 or Brown’s Gas Inhalation

H2 can be breathed in by attaching a facemask or nasal cannula to a molecular hydrogen gas inhalation machine. Breathed in molecular hydrogen gas acts more quickly than different techniques for consumption so it’s a reasonable protection against intense (sudden) oxidative stress. (I.E. stroke, competitors, aggravation.) What does this mean for the human athlete?

Studies show that by delivering hydrogen to the body through Pure Browns Gas H2 can also yield positive results for performance, and improve long-term cellular health & recovery

Method 3: Bathing Hydrogen Water

It is also possible to bathe in hydrogen. Similar to effects observed from injection, simply bathing in hydrogen rich, warm water has been demonstrated to reduce inflammation in psoriasis patients, and alleviate symptoms. The same benefits can be reaped by athletes seeking to recover faster after a game or session, or better prepare their cells and bodies for exercise.

Method 4: Drinking Hydrogen Water

Finally, it is also possible to benefit from hydrogen via a molecular hydrogen tablet or drinking hydrogen water from a generator. The benefits drinking hydrogen rich water are decreased inflammation, faster recovery, free radical reduction, better performance & more.