What exactly is hydrogen water, after all? And how is it doing anything for diabetics?
Well, brace yourself because this is a bit science-y.
To understand how these two things come together, we first need to do some basic chemistry.
Yep, I’m talking about antioxidants.
Antioxidants and Free Radicals
Everyone is always talking about antioxidants and free radicals, but do you actually know what they all mean?
It goes like this: a free radical is an extremely unstable molecule that violently rips through your bloodstream, searching for a perfectly content and stable molecule that it can steal from. This act of thievery damages the otherwise healthy molecule and the free radical calms TF down and moves along, leaving the damaged molecule alone to die.
While this seems like a horrible exaggeration, it’s not far from the truth. Free radicals have
unpaired electrons spinning on the outer edge of the molecule, driving a certain hapless energy. This unpaired electron searches for another electron to acquire to stabilize itself.
So, the first electron it sees, it grabs it.
Though the molecule is now at peace, it leaves your cell damaged. This havoc expresses itself in many ways, from wrinkles to cancer.
As you can imagine, all this vandalism can make the body work inefficiently, causing a whole host of problems, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Antioxidants can prevent this cascade of damage and inefficiency from happening. (This is why everyone always says to eat your fruits and vegetables.)
Hydrogen as an Antioxidant
Hydrogen is one lone molecule with a perfect little electron to spare. So when you introduce hydrogen to your body, by way of hydrogen-enriched water, you are offering free electrons to the unruly free radicals so that no cell has to sacrifice itself in the name of free radicals.
Pretty cool, huh?
So how does this help diabetes?
A 2010 study showed that when participants with metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, insulin resistance) drank hydrogen water daily for eight weeks, they improved their conditions significantly.
They even showed a 13% decrease in cholesterol, which is the same effectiveness as medication!
And they didn’t even change their diets whatsoever.
Now, how is that for water?
You can find hydrogen water at your health food store or shop online for tablets and water bottles that convert your regular, boring water into this magical elixir.
If you are a bit nervous about this science experiment, don’t worry: the hydrogen molecule attaches to one particular free radical mostly, hydroxyl (OH) and forms a whole new molecule instead. That molecule is H2O.
Yup. Hydrogen water just creates more water out of your free radicals. So you’re really just supremely hydrating yourself if nothing else.
[expand title=”References“]
J Clin Biochem Nutr. URL Link. Accessed April 21, 2017.
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