Czech J. Food Sci., 2024, 42(2):136-140 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2024-CJFS

Molecular hydrogen content of different dietary supplementsShort Communication

Sergej Ostojic ORCID...^1,2,3, Milan Vranes⁴

¹ Applied Bioenergetics Lab, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

² Department of Nutrition and Public Health, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

³ Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

⁴ Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the concentration and release dynamics of molecular hydrogen (H₂, dihydrogen) in dietary evaluate supplements and identify products that provide a biologically significant amount of dihydrogen suitable for human consumption. We examined ten commercial supplements marketed for their dihydrogen content, including slow-release capsules and tablets (4 products), effervescent powders and tablets (5 products), and canned ready-to-drink beverage (1 product). These products were acquired either through online purchases, from retail stores, or obtained free of charge directly from the manufacturers upon request. Dihydrogen concentration was measured using a highly sensitive Clark-type hydrogen microsensor with a detection limit 0.05 µmol·L^–1. Out of the ten products examined, only three (30.0%) exhibited dihydrogen levels surpassing the levels marketed as biologically relevant (500 µmol·L^–1), and one of these products (a canned ready-to-drink beverage) approached this level with a concentration of 439.2 µmol·L^–1. Interestingly, all slow-release capsules yielded negligible amounts of hydrogen (< 2 µmol·L^–1), while a slow-release tablet delivered 43.6 µmol·L^–1 of dihydrogen per single dose. The substantial variance in dihydrogen content among the assessed supplements holds significant implications for the general public, as high-potency products have the potential to provide up to 7 000 times more dihydrogen per single dosage compared to their low-potency counterparts.

Keywords: dihydrogen; electrochemical; food supplements; slow-release

Received: January 29, 2024; Revised: March 13, 2024; Accepted: April 4, 2024; Prepublished online: April 11, 2024; Published: April 25, 2024  Show citation