“Hydrogen water improves exercise performance.”
Hydrogen water is not a proven performance booster.
Any boost from hydrogen water is small and shows up in only a few measures. It is unlikely to make a noticeable difference in your workouts.
You do not need hydrogen water to train well. Put your money and effort into consistent training, sleep and fueling.
A 2024 review of 27 studies with 597 people found no clear benefit for aerobic fitness, endurance or strength, and only small effects on leg power, how hard exercise felt and blood lactate. The studies were small and used different hydrogen products, so confidence is limited.
Hydrogen water is not a proven performance booster. A 2024 review of 27 studies found no clear benefit for endurance or strength, with only small signals for leg power, how hard exercise felt and blood lactate.
The review combined hydrogen water with other forms, such as inhaled hydrogen gas and hydrogen powders, so results for the drink alone may differ. A 2026 crossover trial in 12 national-level finswimmers found a 0.6% faster 400-meter time after four days of hydrogen water, but no change in sprint times, blood lactate or perceived effort. A 2025 trial in 22 elite female athletes using hydrogen-water tablets reported a rise in muscle force in the hydrogen group, especially after hard exercise; it was funded by a company, and two authors work in the hydrogen-product industry.
- Zhou K, Shang Z, Yuan C, Guo Z, Wang Y, Bao D, Zhou J. Can molecular hydrogen supplementation enhance physical performance in healthy adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2024;11:1387657. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1387657. PMID: 38903627. PMCID: PMC11188335
- Sládečková B, Krejčí J, McKune A, Pyne DB, Bajgar R, Botek M. Hydrogen-Rich Water as a Performance-Enhancing Aid in National-Level Finswimmers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2026;21(7):824-830. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2025-0492. PMID: 41991147
- Ogannisyan M, Slivin A, LeBaron TW, Tarnava A, Karmazin V, Bazanovich S, Dolgachev V, Vychik A, Strizhkov A, Parastaev S. Hydrogen-Rich Water Decreases Muscle Damage and Improves Power Endurance in Elite Athletes: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2025;15(1):8-17. DOI: 10.15280/jlm.2025.15.1.8. PMID: 40376695. PMCID: PMC12076047