Molecular hydrogen and blood-sugar research: populations and limits
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Evidence status M3: This article describes who the frequently cited metabolic studies on molecular hydrogen actually examined and which values they recorded. It makes no statement about blood sugar, metabolism or product effects in readers.
Who the studies examined
Evidence status H1: Kajiyama et al. (2008), Nutrition Research examined people with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, that is, a clinically defined group. The limit that has to be read with it: recruiting a clinically defined population describes exactly that population. Nothing follows for people without that starting point, and no product reference arises either. The evidence levels and their reach are set out in the overview of evidence levels and research limits.
Which endpoints were recorded
Evidence status H1 (weak): Nakao et al. (2010), Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition ran an open pilot study with 20 participants over eight weeks; Song et al. (2013), Journal of Lipid Research recorded lipoprotein endpoints in a narrowly defined clinical group. Both papers measure laboratory parameters within their study protocol. Limit: a value inside a protocol is an interim result of the investigation and not a health outcome, and both designs are small or open in structure.
Why study design comes before the result
Evidence status M3: Whether a difference may be attributed to an intervention is decided by the design: comparison group, blinding, a pre-specified endpoint and complete reporting. The CONSORT statement: Schulz, Altman and Moher (2010), BMJ sets out which details a randomised study has to report. Limit: it is a reporting standard and says nothing about molecular hydrogen. An open pilot study without a control group establishes a research question, not its answer. The three papers can be read by design in Kajiyama, Nakao and Song in their original context.
What does not follow for healthy readers
Evidence status N: For people without the clinical starting point studied, this article documents no suitable primary study with a defined population and endpoint. Not legally assertable: a statement about blood sugar in healthy people, about avoiding a condition or about a product effect is therefore not made, neither in softened form nor with an accompanying note. Which measures metabolic research otherwise uses is shown in metabolic research and its measurements; how endpoints are formed in another research field can be read in comparing endpoints in a different research question.
Everything about hydrogen water
Separate from the study populations described here, AWAKE Can and AWAKE Glass Bottle are two ready-to-drink formats containing hydrogen.
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All about hydrogen waterConclusion
Evidence status N: The available papers describe clinically defined groups and laboratory parameters. A statement about other people or about a product does not follow from them.
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ReadNote: This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Please consult a doctor if you have health concerns. Any EFSA health claims mentioned refer to the respective nutrients at a sufficient daily intake.
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