Fred Liers, PhD
Supplemental hydrogen is fast becoming essential in many people’s nutritional supplement regimens. Why? Because hydrogen offers significant health benefits, including excellent antioxidant protection, increased energy, faster recovery, and improved well-being. Who doesn’t want those benefits?
My favorite way to take hydrogen is to make hydrogen-infused water, or what I call a hydrogen “fizzy” drink. Two products I like best are Active H2 Ultra tablets and Megahydrate (available in powder and capsules). Active H2 Ultra provides molecular hydrogen (H2) and Megahydrate provides hydride (H-). Both are great standalone formulas, yet work well together as each provides unique means to quench free radicals effectively.
MAKE “FIZZY” HYDROGEN-INFUSED WATER WITH ACTIVE H2 ULTRA
Drinking H2-rich water is an easy and effective method for obtaining hydrogen, according to the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation. Making hydrogen-infused water is simple and convenient, as you can drink it at home or while traveling. Effective hydrogen products HPDI carries include Active H2 Ultra tablets, Megahydrate powder, and Megahydrate capsules.
My favorite hydrogen drink contains both Active H2 Ultra and Megahydrate. I take these products separately at times, but find it easier to take them together—and gain the benefits of both immediately.
INGREDIENTS – HYDROGEN-INFUSED WATER
• 1 Scoop Megahydrate powder (500 mg) or 1 Megahydrate capsule (600 mg)
• 1 Tablet of Active H2 Ultra
• 8–16 Ounces of Purified Water
DIRECTIONS: Put one scoop of Megahydrate powder (or open one capsule) into your container of water. Let sit for about 30–60 seconds. Drop in one Active H2 Ultra tablet. Allow it to effervesce for one minute or until fully dissolved. Drink immediately. For best assimilation, preferably take on an empty stomach at least 10–15 minutes before food. Wait one hour after eating to drink hydrogen-infused water.
Note: Do not wait long after effervesce stops to drink the water because hydrogen will escape into the air. Alternatively you can cap the container with a lid, and this will allow the hydrogen to last a while longer.
Molecular hydrogen is sufficiently small to pass through glass, so use a metal container if you plan to cap it. If you drink immediately, then the type container you use won’t matter. I personally prefer a glass mason jar. This allows me to see the tablet dissolve, but also means drinking it immediately.
I make 1–3 hydrogen fizzy drinks daily, first in the morning and then in the afternoon, but almost never in the evening as it can be energizing. I drink hydrogen water on an empty stomach. I gain a significant energy boost, but also other benefits, including improved athletic performance, faster recovery from exercise, and an overall greater sense of well-being.
I highly recommend you try hydrogen supplements for yourself, and then consider them for your clients or patients. Our experience is that most people are pleasantly surprised by the results they get from hydrogen supplements, especially if they have a need for exceptional free-radical defense, or stand to benefit from the proven effects of hydrogen (see list below).
You will want to continue taking hydrogen supplements regularly because the benefits are so significant, especially over time. Let the power of hydrogen starting working for you.
MOLECULAR HYDROGEN BACKGROUND
More than 1,000 scientific studies indicate molecular hydrogen offers therapeutic potential in 170 disease models, and every organ of the body, according to the Molecular Hydrogen Institute.
Hydrogen is an antioxidant. It is also an extremely small molecule that can penetrate even the tiniest cellular compartments. This helps explain how hydrogen works to offer free-radical defense throughout the entire body.
The medical and scientific literature is clear. Hydrogen’s modes of action:
• H2 reduces oxidative stress as a selective antioxidant and by maintaining homeostatic levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, etc.
• H2, like other gaseous signaling molecules (i.e. NO, CO, H2S), appears to have cell signal-modulating activity affording it with anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-allergy benefits.
We include hydrogen supplements in HPDI’s system of Foundational Supplements. In fact, hydrogen formulas as just one of six foundational supplements. We consider hydrogen a “secondary” foundational supplement usually to be added to a supplement regimen after the four primary ones: multivitamins, antioxidant & vitamin C formulas, essential fatty acids, and superfoods high in dietary nucleic acids (i.e., Rejuvenate! superfoods).
THERAPEUTIC USES OF HYDROGEN
The scientific literature discusses the use of molecular hydrogen for many clinical applications, including:
• Metabolic Syndrome including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and obesity
• Ischemia/reperfusion injuries, including cerebral and myocardial infarctions, organ transplants, post-cardiac arrest
• Neuroprotection, including applications for dementia, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and anesthesia
• Inflammation, including applications for polymicrobial sepsis, rheumatoid arthritis, wound healing, and bowel diseases
• Mitochondrial diseases
• Hemodialysis and ventilation
• Aging, including cognitive decline
• Exercise, including applications for fatigue, lactic acid, recovery, and oxidative stress related to heavy exercise
• Side effects of cancer therapies, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy
• Many other benefits
(Source: Molecular Hydrogen Foundation)
HOW HYDROGEN WORKS
According to the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation, there are three ways molecular hydrogen exerts positive health effects:
1. Molecular hydrogen easily diffuses into subcellular compartments where it scavenges cytotoxic oxygen radicals, thereby protecting DNA, RNA, and proteins against oxidative stress.
2. Molecular hydrogen triggers activation or upregulation of additional antioxidant enzymes (e.g., glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and others) and/or cytoprotective proteins of the body.
3. Molecular hydrogen may be a novel signaling molecule that alters cell signaling, cell metabolism, and gene expression. This may explain its apparent anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-apoptotic (or anti-cell death) effects.
Notably, two of these three mechanisms of action involve antioxidant activity. Hydrogen is one of the best antioxidants for all the reasons discussed, and we believe it acts synergistically with other antioxidants, including Vitamin C, glutathione, and Nrf2 activators (like those in HPDI’s Ultimate Protector).
MEGAHYDRATE MAKES MOLECULAR HYDROGEN BETTER
Why add Megahydrate to your hydrogen-infused water? Because Megahydrate provides hydride, the negative anion of hydrogen, or H-. Thus, a tiny scoop of Megahydrate provides vast quantities of electrons available to quench free radicals. Unlike molecular hydrogen, which dissipates quickly into the air, and therefore must be consumed immediately, hydride rich water (about -700 ORP!) may last for three weeks in an active state. That is a good reason to take Megahydrate by itself whether or not you already use it with molecular hydrogen in your hydrogen “fizzy” drink (see recipe above).
The interesting thing about H- is that after it gives up its electron, it becomes simply “H” or atomic hydrogen. It then looks to pair up with another “H” to become H2, which is molecular hydrogen. In this way, Megahydrate not only gives you large quantities of stable H- and potent antioxidant capabilities, but also then creates molecular hydrogen in your body. This means it becomes a different kind of antioxidant, H2, which is therapeutic in itself.
By adding Megahydrate to your hydrogen-infused water (as described above), you create a unique “double whammy” drink in which you maximize the powers of hydrogen (H2 and H-) to create and maintain good health.
Note: Megahydrate powder is more cost effective than Megahydrate capsules, which must be opened into the fizzy drink. However, Megahydrate capsules are convenient for traveling and are easy to take by themselves. I keep both available, so I can use either one depending on my daily needs.
DRINKING HYDROGEN-INFUSED WATER
Drinking H2-rich water is an easy, effective method for obtaining hydrogen according to the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation. Drinking hydrogen-infused water is convenient as you can drink it at home or while traveling. Effective hydrogen products HPDI carries include Active H2 Ultra tablets, Megahydrate capsules, and Megahydrate powder.
As noted, I make 1–3 hydrogen drinks daily using Megahydrate and Active H2 Ultra. I drink them on an empty stomach. I enjoy a significant energy boost, which helps power me through my day. I gain other benefits, including improved athletic performance, noticeably faster recovery from exercise, and an overall greater sense of well-being.
The nice thing about hydrogen supplements is how flexibly you can use them. While I typically prefer to make hydrogen-infused “fizzy” drinks in water, I will often sip Megahydrate-infused water by itself during the day or even in the evening (as it is less energizing than molecular hydrogen).
Megahydrate does not immediately lose its potency in water, so it can be casually sipped. Also, if you’re traveling or on-the-go, you can simply swallow a Megahydrate capsule by itself. Finally, you can carry Active H2 Ultra tablets with you wherever you go, and add them to water whenever convenient for you.
TRY HYDROGEN!
Try hydrogen supplements for yourself. Then consider recommending them to client, patients, friends, and family. Most people welcome the results from hydrogen. This is especially true if they need exceptional free-radical defense — and who doesn’t? We can all stand to benefit from the proven health benefits hydrogen uniquely provides.
After you try hydrogen, you will want to continue taking it. Hydrogen-infused “fizzy” water can become your go-to drink. Remember, hydrogen works best when taken consistently and daily!
HYDROGEN RESOURCES
Hydrogen Articles
Hydrogen Supplements – Make Hydrogen Drinks
Molecular Hydrogen (H2) at the Forefront of Health Research
The Science Behind MegaHydrate by Hank Liers, PhD
Hydrogen Supplements
Other Hydrogen Resources
Fred Liers, PhD
Hank Liers, PhD
Hank Liers, PhD and Fred Liers, PhD