Water with
dissolved hydrogen.
Hydrogen-rich water is plain water (H₂O) with hydrogen gas (H₂) dissolved in measurable concentration. It doesn’t change taste noticeably. It does change what your body receives when you drink it.
01How it differs from normal water
Tap or bottled water has roughly 0 ppm of H₂. Hydrogen-rich water has between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm. The most common source in clinical studies: water at 1.0–2.0 ppm, produced fresh and drunk immediately.
02How it’s produced
- Water ionizers (electrolysis): the method used in most Japanese and Korean studies. Produces water at ~1–2 ppm.
- Magnesium-metal tablets: chemical reaction that releases H₂. Functional, less consistent.
- Pre-bottled water: H₂ escapes fast. If bottled weeks ago, real concentration is low.
H₂ is a gas. Leave the glass uncovered for a few minutes and you lose a significant fraction. Drink fast or use a sealed container.
03What to measure if you want to verify it
Three standard parameters:
- Dissolved H₂ (ppm): ideally ≥ 1.0 ppm. Measured with an H₂ meter or methylene-blue titration.
- ORP (mV): negative, typically between −200 and −600 mV.
- pH: ideally ~9.5. At that range the ionizer concentrates alkaline electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, calcium) in their most bioavailable ionic form and, in parallel, sustains the highest dissolved H₂ concentration. pH isn’t a treatment — it’s the visible fingerprint that both engines are present.
04Doses and frequencies found in studies
Dose depends on the study. Most common:
- 500–1,500 mL/day, divided into several intakes.
- Concentration: 1.0–3.0 ppm at the fresh outlet.
- Minimum duration for measurable effects: 4 to 24 weeks depending on condition.
This is not clinical advice. It is a summary of what appears in the peer-reviewed literature.
05When it underperforms
- When the water sat for 5 minutes and the H₂ already escaped.
- When real concentration is 0.1 ppm instead of 1.0+ ppm (poorly sealed bottles).
- When daily dose is 100 mL instead of 500–1,500 mL.