Could Hydrogen Water Treat Mountain Sickness?

Imagine this scenario. Your friends want to take you to the top of a very tall mountain. It is more than 14,000 feet high. You don’t even have to hike. There’s a tram that can take you right up.

You agree to go. It’s a pleasant ride up. You spot some wildlife. All is going well…until you reach the top.

The moment you get off the train and start walking, you notice that you are not getting enough air on every breath, no matter how hard you inhale. Your head feels light like it’s going to pop off your head and fly to outer space. On top of that, you’re also feeling nauseated.

What you’re experiencing is mountain sickness. It’s a condition that affects people who go too high too quickly. Other symptoms can include fatigue, headache, rapid heart rate, nausea, shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping.

In 2015, Chinese scientists proposed that one way you can treat this condition is by drinking hydrogen water. That’s because it’s known to reduce something called oxidative stress, which mountain sickness is linked to.

What Is Oxidative Stress?

We actually talk about oxidative stress in excruciating detail in our previous post What Is Hydrogen Water. But we get it, having a million tabs open on your computer isn’t fun, and who wants to read another article just to understand the one you’re on? That would be an insane expectation on our part. 

So here is our TL;DR version of oxidative stress:

• Your body has tiny molecules called free radicals.
• Some of these free radicals are harmful and tear your cells apart.
• Antioxidants are molecules that can neutralize them.
• If there are more free radicals in your body than antioxidants, your body is in a state of oxidative stress.
• Oxidative stress is linked to a number of health conditions including diabetes, obesity, Parkinson’s, and more.
• Oxidative stress is also linked to aging effects in your body.

Oxidative Stress At High Elevations

There are various issues that come with high elevations. For one thing, the concentration of oxygen is much lower. This means that for every breath you take, you are getting less of what you need out of the air.

You are also exposed to more UV light, lower temperatures, dust, and wind that carries the dust. All of these things individually can cause oxidative stress. At high elevations, you are dealing with all of them together.

Oxidative Stress And Mountain Sickness

 Oxidative stress is known to be a factor in mountain sickness, but scientists don’t know exactly how it happens. What they do know is that when people enter high altitudes, certain indicators of oxidative stress increase.

One way to prevent mountain sickness is to gradually climb to higher altitudes, especially if you are going above 9,850 feet. Scientists say you should stay at that level for a few days before ascending any further. 

Another treatment that has shown some effectiveness is taking substances that have antioxidant activity such as supplements, ginkgo biloba extract, and rhodiola extract. 

There is a third option that might be able to help prevent mountain sickness. You could probably guess what it is.

How Hydrogen Water Can Treat Mountain Sickness

When you drink hydrogen water, you are getting the proper hydration your body needs plus a good amount of hydrogen molecules, which have antioxidant properties.

As a matter of fact, hydrogen might be a better antioxidant than many antioxidants themselves. As we said before, antioxidants are molecules that will get rid of free radicals that cause oxidative stress. The problem with them is they also get rid of other free radicals that are actually good for you.

Hydrogen, on the other hand, selectively targets the bad free radicals. It also has some signalling properties that can reduce oxidative stress in other ways.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any studies that show hydrogen water’s effectiveness on people who live in high altitude environments. However, because oxidative stress is linked to mountain sickness, it’s a rational conclusion that hydrogen water would be an effective treatment for it. 

Of course, this is just a hypothesis that was proposed by Chinese scientists. More testing needs to be done to prove whether or not it works.

It’s Not Just About Extreme Heights

Hydrogen water can help even if you aren’t on top of a 14,000 foot mountain. Many people in the U.S. are living in places that are more like 1,000-2,000 meters (3,280-6,561 feet) high, and the conditions at those points can also cause oxidative stress. 

Denver, Colorado for example is known as the Mile High City because it is 5,280 feet above sea level. At that height, the percentage of oxygen in the air is about 17% lower than it is at sea level. 

Or let’s say you like to go skiing in Aspen. That is 8,000 feet above sea level. At that height, the oxygen is a whopping 25% lower. That’s low enough that you could easily feel the effects.

Where To Get Hydrogen Water

There are many different ways to get hydrogen water. One of them involves using special tablets that you put into the water. They contain magnesium, and they create a chemical reaction within the water that creates hydrogen. 

There’s nothing wrong with doing this, but the main drawback is it’s kind of expensive. Every time you drink hydrogen water, you have to use a tablet. They aren’t super expensive by themselves, but if you’re drinking it everyday, the costs can add up.

The Echo Go+ Hydrogen Water Bottle is a more cost effective way. The initial price is higher, but you end up paying less in the long run. It creates hydrogen by pumping an electrical current into the water. This breaks some of the water molecules apart, and some of the resulting hydrogen atoms bond to create hydrogen molecules. It’s these molecules that have antioxidant properties. 

The Echo Go+ is very easy to use. You just add distilled water and set the time according to how much hydrogen you want the water to produce. While the bottle is creating hydrogen, you can take it anywhere you are going, whether you’re running errands, going to work, hitting the gym, or anything else.

Get your own Echo Go+ Hydrogen Water Bottle today!