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Molecular hydrogen affects body composition, metabolic profiles, and mitochondrial function in middle-aged overweight women

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Abstract

Background

Molecular hydrogen (H2) effectively treats obesity-related disorders in animal models, yet no studies have investigated the effectiveness and safety of H2 for improving biomarkers of obesity in humans.

Aim

In this double blind, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot trial, we evaluated the effects of H2 intervention on body composition, hormonal status, and mitochondrial function in ten (n = 10) middle-aged overweight women.

Methods

Volunteers received either hydrogen-generating minerals (supplying ~6 ppm of H2 per day) or placebo by oral administration of caplets for 4 weeks. The primary end-point of treatment efficacy was the change in the body fat percentage from baseline to 4 weeks. In addition, assessment of other body composition indices, screening laboratory studies, and evaluation of side effects were performed before and at follow-up. Clinical trial registration www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID number NCT02832219.

Results

No significant differences were observed between treatment groups for changes in weight, body mass index, and body circumferences at 4-week follow-up (P > 0.05). H2 treatment significantly reduced body fat percentage (3.2 vs. 0.9%, P = 0.05) and arm fat index (9.7 vs. 6.0%, P = 0.01) compared to placebo administration, respectively. This was accompanied by a significant drop in serum triglycerides after H2 intervention comparing to placebo (21.3 vs. 6.5%; P = 0.04), while other blood lipids remained stable during the study (P > 0.05). Fasting serum insulin levels dropped by 5.4% after H2 administration, while placebo intervention augmented insulin response by 29.3% (P = 0.01).

Conclusions

It appears that orally administered H2 as a blend of hydrogen-generating minerals might be a beneficial agent in the management of body composition and insulin resistance in obesity.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (grant number 175037), the Provincial Secretariat for Science and Technological Development (grant number 114-451-710), the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad (2016 Annual Award), and SevenPoint2, Newport Beach, USA (grant number 075-B/2016). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

    D. Korovljev, T. Trivic, P. Drid & S. M. Ostojic

  2. University of Belgrade School of Medicine, Belgrade, Serbia

    S. M. Ostojic

  3. Applied Bioenergetics Laboratory, Faculty of Sport and PE, University of Novi Sad, Lovcenska 16, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia

    S. M. Ostojic

Authors
  1. D. Korovljev
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  2. T. Trivic
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  3. P. Drid
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  4. S. M. Ostojic
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Correspondence to S. M. Ostojic.

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Statement of human rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Korovljev, D., Trivic, T., Drid, P. et al. Molecular hydrogen affects body composition, metabolic profiles, and mitochondrial function in middle-aged overweight women. Ir J Med Sci 187, 85–89 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-017-1638-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-017-1638-4

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