With dozens of studies proving molecular hydrogen helps fight age-related illnesses, it should come as no surprise that two more recent studies extol this anti-aging supplement has the ability to combat age itself.
In July 2016, a Japanese study concluded, “substantial evidence” indicates molecular hydrogen (H2) has beneficial vascular benefits because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, possibly making it “an effective anti-aging drink.”
Another recent study, partially titled “Effects of Hydrogenized Water on Intracellular Biomarkers,” shows that hydrogenized water increases telomerase activity, an enzyme that promotes stronger telomeres — the caps at the end of chromosomes that impact aging. This study, which found that molecular hydrogen helps protect telomeres from degradation, concludes:
“The results indicate that hydrogenized water may contribute to the improvement of age regulation.”
Certified integrative nutrition coach Connie Rogers says:
We are able to slow down the aging process with molecular hydrogen. It has been scientifically studied and proven to reverse blood sugar imbalances, improve degenerating rheumatoid arthritis, fight oxidative stress, improve immunity, and help fight inflammation.
Health care writer and editor Claudia Rallis add that the thing particularly impressive about the recent studies is that H2 impacted not one but two important biomarkers for the aging process – SIRT1 gene expression — as well as increasing telomerase activity.
“That certainly speaks toward molecular hydrogen’s anti-aging potential,” Rallis says.
A Closer Look
A biomarker is a measurable indicator of some biological state or condition. SIRT1 is a protein biomarker that has been linked to longevity and improved health. It’s also believed to play a role in homologous recombination, a process that helps repair damaged DNA and thus may also contribute to increased life span. The possibility that molecular hydrogen stimulates SIRT1 activity is significant.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), SIRT1 is now considered an anti-aging protein. Increasing SIRT1 activity has “been found to slow the onset of aging and delay age-associated diseases.”
The other important biomarker, telomerase activity, keeps our DNA telomere caps healthier, particularly in the presence of hydrogenated water. The “Effects of Hydrogenized Water on Intracellular Biomarkers” showed that hydrogenized water increased telomerase activity up to 148 percent when cells were treated with media containing 25 percent hydrogenized water formula.
Telomeres may hold the secret to providing us with optimal health, according to Dr. Dimitris Tsoukalas, a medical doctor, researcher, educator, author, and leading expert in the application of Metabolomic Medicine in chronic and autoimmune diseases.
“Telomere shortening has been identified as the primary cause of human aging and age-related diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and heart disease,” says Tsoukalas.
Telomere Length Analysis is an accurate index of the body’s biological vs chronological age and is a major breakthrough for medicine in addressing chronic diseases and improving longevity. The shorter our telomeres, the older we become biologically; while the opposite is also true. The longer our telomeres, the younger our cells are biologically and the better our health.
H2 For Younger Looking Skin
Numerous studies also suggest H2 is an excellent anti-aging supplement because of its amazing skin health benefits.
In the 1950s, biogerontologist Denham Harman first proposed the free radical theory of aging. The idea is that our skin loses its elasticity and we age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time. Exposure to ultraviolet light can increase concentrations of ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) and free radicals dramatically.
“By taking an antioxidant such as molecular hydrogen, you could help mitigate some of the damage caused by this increase in ROS,” says Rallis.
Rallis says H2 shouldn’t be a substitute for organic sunscreen or other UV protection, but reducing oxidative stress through the use of the anti-aging supplement molecular hydrogen “should help slow down the aging process and help give you younger, healthier-looking skin.”
This research was further validated in yet another study where hydrogen-rich water was shown to be very beneficial for UV induced skin cell damage.
Tyler LeBaron, Founder and Executive Director of the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation, says this human study was particularly significant.
“In human subjects, bathing in hydrogen water for three months significantly improved wrinkles in the skin,” LeBaron says. “The authors concluded that hydrogen water might serve as daily skin care to repress UVA-induced skin damage by scavenging free radicals and promoting type-1 collagen synthesis.”
Type-1 collagen is an important structural protein found in the skin. The study showed that Type-1 collagen was synthesized about twofold more in the cells treated with hydrogen water. It also prevented DNA damage, cell death, and decreased levels of intracellular free radicals.
Extended Life With Healthier Gut
Several studies have suggested the importance of maintaining a balanced gut microbiota (gut flora), which in turn can promote longevity. According to the NCBI, gut bacteria strongly influence our metabolic, endocrine, immune, and both peripheral and central nervous systems. Studies show everything from depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to age-related illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis may be linked to a shortage of beneficial microbes in the gut, often due to oxidative stress. The anti-aging supplement molecular hydrogen is possibly the only antioxidant molecule that can reach inside the mitochondria (power generators) of a cell where it reduces oxidative stress. Along with probiotic supplements and eating fiber-rich plants and fermented foods, which promote beneficial gut bacteria, H2 has the ability to fight oxidative stress in the body that leads to inflammatory conditions.
Turning Back The Clock For A Younger You
There are several ways to get the anti-aging supplement molecular hydrogen into your system including drinking hydrogen infused water, inhalation, taking an H2 bath, or putting H2-saline into the eyes. The easiest and probably most efficient method is by simply dropping an H2 tablet in water and then drinking it. In all cases, molecular hydrogen (H2) easily enters the bloodstream and is transported throughout the body.
Rogers recommends the anti-aging supplement molecular hydrogen in combination with paying attention to other factors that influence our aging process.
“We know most medications and treatments can damage cells, disrupt bacteria balance, and harm our DNA,” says Rogers. “Antibiotics increase premature aging, disrupt gut bacteria and harm brain health at the same time. And we know antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs cause cell death.”
Sufficient sleep, avoiding toxic exposures and environmental pollutants, stress management, and eating antioxidant-loaded cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, and kale can also help turn back the clock, according to Rogers.
Thomas Ropp Longtime journalist Thomas Ropp is an environmental advocate and proponent of living healthier. After spending most of his life in Arizona, he relocated to a Costa Rican rainforest ten years ago and helped with reforestation projects to expand the habitat of the endangered mono titi monkey. He has dual residency in the United States and Costa Rica.
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