Hydrogenology
Hydrogenology editorial study record

The Effects of 24-Week, High-Concentration Hydrogen-Rich Water on Body Composition, Blood Lipid Profiles and Inflammation Biomarkers in Men and Women with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

LeBaron TW et al. · Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2020;13:889–896.

HumanH₂-rich waterPublished 2020
Study record, not medical adviceThis page reports one source and Hydrogenology’s source-text extraction. It does not establish that molecular hydrogen is effective, safe or appropriate for any person. Human, animal and laboratory evidence must not be treated as equivalent.
Source and classification

What kind of evidence is this?

Evidence stream

Human

Reported design

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel trial

Research topic

Metabolic and lipid health

Administration classification

H₂-rich water

Study result signal

Not reported in this record.

Outcome type

Not reported in this record.

Reported in the source

Methods at a glance

Population or model

Men and women with metabolic syndrome

Sample

60 participants: 30 men and 30 women

Duration

24 weeks

Intervention

One hydrogen-producing tablet in 250 mL water three times daily; 750 mL/day and more than 5.5 mmol H₂/day

Hydrogen form

H₂ dissolved in water — H₂ only, not Brown’s gas.

H₂ specification

>5.5 mmol H₂ per day; tablets were dissolved immediately before drinking.

H₂ flow

Not applicable — oral water, not gas inhalation.

O₂ delivered with H₂

No O₂ was co-delivered as part of the intervention.

Comparator

Matched placebo tablets in the same volume of water

Reported, not endorsed

Outcomes and reported result

Outcomes measured

Body composition, glucose and HbA1c, lipid profile, inflammatory and redox biomarkers

Reported result

The article reports between-group improvements in several metabolic, inflammatory and redox measures; TBARS did not improve and HDL also decreased slightly. Clinical importance was not established.

Results-extraction completeness

Methods, principal tables, funding and commercial involvement checked in the free full text; independent appraisal remains incomplete.

A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit. Null findings, outcome type, study design and precision all matter.

Interpretation limits

Cautions and applicability

Design and reporting cautions

Small trial with many outcomes. HRW Natural Health Products provided funding and the DrinkHRW tablets were donated by Alex Tarnava and his company; this commercial involvement is relevant when interpreting the report.

Applies directly to

Adults with metabolic syndrome meeting this trial’s criteria.

Preliminary appraisal framework

Not reported in this record.

Preliminary risk-of-bias status

Not reported in this record.

Appraisal rationale

Not reported in this record.

No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Certainty is assessed by important outcome across a complete eligible evidence set, not by attaching a final grade to one source.

Provenance

Sources and record status

Identifiers

PMID: 32273740 · DOI: 10.2147/DMSO.S240122

Publisher access

Open-access article.

Extraction basis

Free full text on PMC and publisher page; identifiers cross-checked in PubMed.

Record revision

2026-08-10

Open bibliographic source ↗Open lawful free full text ↗Report a discrepancy