Initially, molecular hydrogen was considered a physiologically inert and non-functional gas. However, experimental and clinical studies have shown that molecular hydrogen has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and strong selective antioxidant effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 60 minutes of molecular hydrogen inhalation on respiratory gas analysis parameters using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. The study was conducted at Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacký University Olomouc from September 2022 to March 2023. Twenty, physically active female participants aged 22.1 ± 1.6 years who inhaled either molecular hydrogen or ambient air through a nasal cannula (300 mL/min) for 60 minutes while resting were included in this study. Metabolic response was measured using indirect calorimetry. Breath-by-breath data were averaged over four 15-minute intervals. Compared with placebo (ambient air), molecular hydrogen inhalation significantly decreased respiratory exchange ratio and ventilation across all intervals. Furthermore, the change in respiratory exchange ratio was negatively correlated with body fat percentage from 30 minutes onwards. In conclusion, 60 minutes of resting molecular hydrogen inhalation significantly increased resting fat oxidation, as evidenced by decreased respiratory exchange ratio, particularly in individuals with higher body fat percentages.

• Keywords
• body fat, fat oxidation, metabolic flexibility, mitochondria respiration, respiratory exchange ratio,
• MeSH
• Administration, Inhalation MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Double-Blind Method MeSH
• Cross-Over Studies MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Rest * MeSH
• Placebos MeSH
• Hydrogen * administration & dosage   pharmacology   MeSH
• Healthy Volunteers MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Placebos MeSH
• Hydrogen * MeSH

BACKGROUND: Football matches induce acute and residual fatigue, impairing neuromuscular, metabolic, and perceptual performance. Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) is a novel intervention with antifatigue and antioxidative properties. The intermittent high-intensity nature of football, which includes frequent accelerations, decelerations, sprints, changes of direction, and physical contacts, imposes substantial demands on both central and peripheral physiological systems. This results in acute fatigue, observable during or immediately after a match, and residual fatigue, which can persist for 24-72 hours post match, depending on the intensity, match context, and recovery strategies. OBJECTIVE: This study will investigate the effects of pre-exercise HRW administration versus a placebo on neuromuscular performance, biochemical markers, and perceptual measures of fatigue during a 72-hour recovery after a simulated football match. METHODS: Using a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel design, elite junior football players will undergo neuromuscular performance assessments (repeated sprint ability and countermovement jump test). Metabolic fatigue will be measured by creatine kinase level and muscle soreness, rated using a visual analog scale. These assessments will occur at critical time points: immediately post warm-up; directly following the simulated football match to detect acute fatigue; and 24, 48, and 72 hours after training sessions to detect residual fatigue. RESULTS: Data collection has been scheduled with the clubs to coincide with the beginning of the players' transition period (ie, at the start of August 2025). The expected duration of data collection, including the initial medical examination, is planned to be 1 month. We anticipate publishing the results in late 2025 or during the first half of 2026. CONCLUSIONS: This study will assess the influence of molecular hydrogen on acute fatigue manifestation and recovery quality during a 72-hour period after a simulated football match. The potential positive effects of molecular hydrogen, such as attenuation of oxidative stress, reduction in muscle damage markers, and accelerated neuromuscular recovery, may contribute to faster restoration of functional capacities. If confirmed, these effects could enhance players' readiness to return to high-intensity training and optimize the structure of microcycles in competitive periods. Additionally, understanding the recovery dynamics facilitated by HRW may inform evidence-based recovery strategies and support individualized player monitoring frameworks. The possible positive effect of molecular hydrogen would speed up the players' readiness to train after the match and help protect players against illness and noncontact injuries.

• Keywords
• antifatigue effect, molecular hydrogen, oxidative stress, readiness to play, recovery, repeated sprint ability,
• MeSH
• Double-Blind Method MeSH
• Soccer * physiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic MeSH
• Athletic Performance physiology   MeSH
• Muscle Fatigue MeSH
• Fatigue * MeSH
• Water * MeSH
• Hydrogen * administration & dosage   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Clinical Trial Protocol MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Water * MeSH
• Hydrogen * MeSH

Purpose: Molecular hydrogen has been shown to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, ergogenic, and recovery-enhancing effects. This study aimed to assess the effect of molecular hydrogen administration on muscle performance, damage, and perception of soreness up to 24 h of recovery after two strenuous training sessions performed on the same day in elite fin swimmers. Methods: Eight females (mean ± SD; age 21.5 ± 5.0 years, maximal oxygen consumption 45.0 ± 2.5 mL.kg-1.min-1) and four males (age 18.9 ± 1.3 years, maximal oxygen consumption 52.2 ± 1.7 mL.kg-1.min-1) performed 12 × 50 m sprints in the morning session and a 400 m competitive performance in the afternoon session. Participants consumed hydrogen-rich water (HRW) or placebo 3 days before the sessions (1,260 mL/day) and 2,520 mL on the experimental day. Muscle performance (countermovement jump), muscle damage (creatine kinase), and muscle soreness (100 mm visual analogue scale) were measured during the experimental day and at 12 and 24 h after the afternoon session. Results: HRW compared to placebo reduced blood activity of creatine kinase (156 ± 63 vs. 190 ± 64 U.L-1, p = 0.043), muscle soreness perception (34 ± 12 vs. 42 ± 12 mm, p = 0.045), and improved countermovement jump height (30.7 ± 5.5 cm vs. 29.8 ± 5.8 cm, p = 0.014) at 12 h after the afternoon session. Conclusion: Four days of HRW supplementation is a promising hydration strategy for promoting muscle recovery after two strenuous training sessions performed on the same day in elite fin swimmers. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT05799911.

• Keywords
• creatine kinase, exercise, exercise-induced muscle damage, molecular hydrogen, muscle pain, peripheral fatigue,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of acute, pre-exercise, hydrogen rich water (HRW) ingestion on running time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed in trained track and field runners. METHODS: Twenty-four, male runners aged 17.5 ± 1.8 years, with body mass index = 21.0 ± 1.3 kg⋅m-2, and maximal oxygen uptake = 55.0 ± 4.6 ml⋅kg-1⋅min-1 (mean ± standard deviation) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. All runners ingested 1260 ml of HRW which was divided into four doses and taken at 120 min (420 ml), 60 min (420 ml), 30 min (210 ml), and 10 min (210 ml) prior to exercise. The running protocol consisted of three phases: warm-up performed at 10 km⋅h-1 for 3 min, followed by a transition phase performed at an individually determined speed (10 km⋅h-1 + maximal aerobic speed)/2 for 1 min, and finally the third phase performed at individual maximal aerobic speed until exhaustion. Time to exhaustion, cardiorespiratory variables, and post-exercise blood lactate concentration were measured. RESULTS: When running to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed, compared with placebo, HRW had no significant effects on the following variables: time to exhaustion (217 ± 49 and 227 ± 53 s, p = 0.20), post-exercise blood lactate concentration (9.9 ± 2.2 and 10.1 ± 2.0 mmol⋅L-1, p = 0.42), maximal heart rate (186 ± 9 and 186 ± 9 beats⋅min-1, p = 0.80), and oxygen uptake (53.1 ± 4.5 and 52.2 ± 4.7 ml⋅kg-1⋅min-1, p = 0.33). No variable assessed as a candidate moderator was significantly correlated with time to exhaustion (Spearman's correlation coefficients ranged from -0.28 to 0.30, all p ≥ 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-exercise administration of 1260 ml of HRW showed no ergogenic effect on running performance to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed in trained track and field runners.

• MeSH
• Double-Blind Method MeSH
• Physical Endurance * MeSH
• Cross-Over Studies MeSH
• Lactic Acid MeSH
• Oxygen pharmacology   MeSH
• Track and Field * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Drinking MeSH
• Oxygen Consumption MeSH
• Hydrogen pharmacology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Lactic Acid MeSH
• Oxygen MeSH
• Hydrogen MeSH

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is potentially a novel therapeutic gas for acute post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients because it has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, and antifatigue properties. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 14 days of H2 inhalation on the respiratory and physical fitness status of acute post-COVID-19 patients. This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study included 26 males (44 ± 17 years) and 24 females (38 ± 12 years), who performed a 6-min walking test (6 MWT) and pulmonary function test, specifically forced vital capacity (FVC) and expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1). Symptomatic participants were recruited between 21 and 33 days after a positive polymerase chain reaction test. The experiment consisted of H2/placebo inhalation, 2 × 60 min/day for 14 days. Results showed that H2 therapy, compared with placebo, significantly increased 6 MWT distance by 64 ± 39 m, FVC by 0.19 ± 0.24 L, and, in FEV1, by 0.11 ± 0.28 L (all p ≤ 0.025). In conclusion, H2 inhalation had beneficial health effects in terms of improved physical and respiratory function in acute post-COVID-19 patients. Therefore, H2 inhalation may represent a safe, effective approach for accelerating early function restoration in post-COVID-19 patients.

• Keywords
• 6-min walking test, COVID-19, fatigue, health, hydrogen inhalation, oxygen saturation, pulmonary function,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * MeSH
• Single-Blind Method MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Respiratory Function Tests MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• Forced Expiratory Volume MeSH
• Hydrogen therapeutic use   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Hydrogen MeSH