Hydrogen Water Vs. Alkaline Water: Which Is Better And Why?

Walking down the supermarket aisle, you must have noticed the different labels on packaged water bottles, with hydrogen water and alkaline water topping the charts. How many times have you caught yourself wondering whether you should buy alkaline water or hydrogenated water?

Indeed, buying a bottle of water has become a whole new experience today, thanks to trends and social media. And feeling confused is quite natural. But let me help you compare these two trendsetters better and make an informed choice.

Is Hydrogen Water Any Good?

As the name suggests, hydrogen water is just regular drinking water infused with extra hydrogen gas (H₂). Scientists believe that adding molecular H₂ to plain water makes it more beneficial to our health- even more than alkaline water, owing to its powerful antioxidant properties.

So, I decided to buy a hydrogen water bottle to generate hydrogen water from normal tap water at home easily. Over the years, I have tried and tested several such generators, which helped me acquire practical knowledge to guide you realistically.

Learn More: How To Use A Hydrogen Water Generator?

Benefits Over Alkaline Water

1. Boosts Athletic Performance

My journey with hydro-water began when I saw marketing ads claiming that it possesses anti-inflammatory traits, which can help improve athletic performance. As a fitness instructor, regular exercise and running have been integral to my daily schedule for many years now.

I have tried alkaline water too, but it did not influence my workout performance in any way. So, this time, I wanted to see if drinking hydrogen water post-workout makes any difference to my performance.

Interestingly, after about two and a half weeks, I started noticing lesser muscle fatigue, even on days of intense workouts. I had read about a study suggesting that drinking hydrogen water, after working out rigorously can help accelerate muscle recovery and soothe fatigue. And that is exactly what I experienced.

2. Boosts Energy And Endurance

While digging up the benefits of hydrogen water, I found a research paper suggesting that it might also help increase our overall endurance and energy levels. So this is another metric I monitored closely during my experiments.

I realized that I felt much MORE ENERGETIC overall two weeks into drinking hydrogen-rich water. I also sensed a heightened level of endurance during my personal training sessions. In comparison, alkaline water did not affect my energy levels in any way.

3. Improves Overall Mental Health

Drinking hydrogen water also kept me upbeat and cheerful in situations where I would have otherwise felt stressed. More than enhancing my energy levels, it boosted my overall mental and emotional states.

This feeling perfectly corroborated with research findings indicating that hydrogen-rich water might also be capable of improving our mood by reducing depressive feelings. Here again, I cannot say that alkaline water offered any emotional or mental boost to me.

4. Normal Taste

The taste and appearance of hydrogen water are exactly like regular drinking water, which is another plus point. I didn’t find any altered or weird flavor, which you might have noticed if you ever tried drinking ionized or alkaline water.

Alkaline water might taste sweeter or bitter depending on the minerals present in it, but hydro-water has a normal neutral taste, which I could easily adapt to.

Related: Ionized vs Hydrogen Water

Limitations Of Hydrogen Water

I found that hydrogen water is slightly more expensive than regular water. However, this is not really a drawback because if you purchase a hydrogen water generator or bottle, instead of cans, it automatically optimizes your expenses in the long run.

Alternatively, How Is Alkaline Water?

Alkaline water is regular water with a higher level of alkalinity in its composition. It is manufactured by infusing plain water with minerals with negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), to increase its ‘pH value’.

Minerals infused in alkaline water include magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium, which are said to balance the pH levels of our body, thereby helping regulate effects like acidity.

The measure of alkalinity, or acidity of any substance, is determined by the pH value on a scale of 0 to 14. While a pH value of 0 indicates a highly acidic nature, 7 is considered neutral, and 14 is highly alkaline. So, for this water, the pH value ranges from around 8 to 9.5, which is slightly higher than normal tap water.

Advantages Of Alkaline Water

A. Good Hydration

I started drinking alkaline water since it was marketed to be an excellent source of hydration for athletes. But when I started consuming hydrogen water regularly, I honestly found no difference. As per my experience, both alkaline and hydrogen water provide excellent hydration.

B. Boosts Digestion

I could relate to a 2018 study that suggested alkaline water might possess colon-cleansing properties, which help detoxify our body and boost our immune response. I can say that it helped improve my digestion and acid reflux to a noticeable extent.

I did not find hydrogen water to possess colon-cleansing traits as such. However, studies indicate that it might help manage metabolism-related disorders, such as obesity, high cholesterol, and blood sugar. It might also help battle disorders like psoriasis and arthritis by virtue of its anti-inflammatory capabilities.

Drawbacks Of Alkaline Water

Alkaline water is considered safe for drinking in the general sense. However, there might be some possible side effects if you drink it consistently for the long term. Some scientists believe drinking this water regularly might make us more susceptible to contracting hyperkalemia, especially if the pH value is higher than 9.8.

Hydrogen Water Vs. Alkaline Water Comparison

Point Of Difference	Hydrogen Water	Alkaline Water
Generation	Generated either through electrolysis or by bubbling extra hydrogen gas in regular water.	Powerful neutralizer for acidic reactions in the body. It also, boosts digestion, bowel movements, and bone density.
Primary Benefit	Delivers powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.	Powerful neutralizer for acidic reactions in the body. It also boosts digestion, bowel movements, and bone density.
pH Value	Lower pH value (under 8.5).	pH value around 8 to 9.5, which is higher than plain drinking water.
Compatibility with Athletes	Suitable for athletes – boosts energy and endurance and improves muscle recovery and fatigue	Also good by not as much as hydrogen water.
Other Benefits	Offers anti-aging and overall mental health benefits	Mental health and anti-aging benefits not yet found
Side Effects	No known adverse effects – generally safe. But more research is needed.	Patients suffering from kidney ailments should avoid drinking it.
Types	Sold in cans and pouches, and can be generated using hydrogen water generators or bottles	Sold in regular bottled packaging
Color and Odor	Usually does not contain any odor or color	pH value is around 8 to 9.5, which is higher than plain drinking water.
Taste	Tastes just like regular drinking water	The taste might be bitter or sweet

More comparison: Hydrogen water tablets vs bottles

So, Hydrogen Or Alkaline Water: Which Is Better And Why?

Hydrogen water and alkaline water both come with their unique properties, deriving unique benefits. So ideally, we need to balance our individual preferences and the benefits available while choosing one.

However, in light of all that I have explained so far, it is a clear giveaway that the advantages of H₂-rich water far surpass those of alkaline water. Besides, molecular hydrogen water offers a wide range of physical and mental health benefits, which alkaline water fails to provide. Moreover, the taste of alkaline water can seem disagreeable to many, like me, whereas hydrogen water tastes just like our normal tap water.

So, hydrogen water can help ensure our all-round well-being and not just a single aspect of our health. Alkaline water, on the other hand, can be detrimental for people suffering from kidney problems, and it might also cause digestive issues if consumed in the long term.

Another solid advantage is that you can simply purchase a hydrogen water bottle one time and repeatedly generate your own supply from normal tap water. That saves a lot of time and money.