What hydrogen-rich water is.
Hydrogen-rich water is ordinary drinking water into which molecular hydrogen gas (H₂) has been dissolved under pressure. The water itself is unchanged — it is still H₂O. The dissolved hydrogen is molecular H₂ held in solution, measured in parts per billion (ppb) or milligrams per litre (mg/L).
The two units are equivalent: 1 mg/L = approximately 1,000 ppb at standard temperature and pressure.
Molecular hydrogen is the same molecule whether it arrives via inhalation or dissolved in water. The delivery route differs — oral consumption via the GI tract rather than absorption via the lungs — but the molecule itself is identical.
Hydrogen-rich water has no taste, no colour and no smell. If it tastes or smells different from normal water, the generator is producing something other than dissolved molecular hydrogen — typically ozone or chlorine byproducts from a poorly designed electrolysis cell.
What hydrogen-rich water is not — three common confusions.
Not alkaline water
Alkaline water has a pH above 7.0. It is produced by water ionisers that separate water into acidic and alkaline streams using electrolysis with metal electrodes. Alkaline water does not necessarily contain dissolved molecular hydrogen — pH and H₂ concentration are independent properties.
Hydrogen-rich water produced by a correctly designed PEM/SPE generator is typically close to neutral pH. The wellness property being studied is the dissolved molecular hydrogen — not the pH. Do not confuse the two.
Not ionised water
Water ionisers — the category dominated by brands like Kangen and Enagic — produce alkaline ionised water using plate electrolysis. Some ionisers produce incidental dissolved hydrogen as a byproduct of their electrolysis process, but hydrogen concentration is not their primary design goal and is rarely published as a certified specification.
A dedicated PEM/SPE hydrogen water generator is designed specifically to maximise dissolved H₂ concentration. These are different products with different mechanisms and different certified output specifications.
Not oxygenated water
Oxygenated water has dissolved oxygen (O₂) added — the opposite molecule to hydrogen. Hydrogen-rich water and oxygenated water are completely different products. A PEM/SPE hydrogen generator vents the oxygen produced by electrolysis separately — it does not dissolve oxygen into the drinking water.
How hydrogen-rich water is produced.
The correct production method for consumer hydrogen-rich water is PEM/SPE electrolysis — Proton Exchange Membrane / Solid Polymer Electrolyte.
Water is passed through the electrolysis cell. The PEM membrane splits water molecules at the proton level, producing molecular hydrogen at the cathode and oxygen at the anode. The two gases are kept in separated streams by the membrane.
The hydrogen gas is then dissolved back into the water under pressure on the drinking-water side of the cell. The oxygen is vented. The result is water with elevated dissolved H₂ concentration — typically 1,000–5,000 ppb depending on the generator design, cycle time and water temperature.
This is the same membrane technology used in our hydrogen inhalers — the difference is that inhalers deliver the H₂ as a gas via a cannula, while hydrogen water generators dissolve it back into the water for consumption.
Why PEM/SPE matters for hydrogen water
Generators using alkaline electrolysis or basic plate electrolysis without a PEM membrane cannot reliably separate hydrogen and oxygen streams. This means the drinking water may contain dissolved oxygen, ozone, or trace chlorine byproducts alongside the hydrogen.
A well-designed PEM/SPE generator produces clean dissolved H₂ in the drinking water with oxygen vented separately. This is why PEM/SPE is the only electrolysis technology worth buying for a hydrogen water generator — the same reason it is the only technology worth buying for an inhaler.
Concentration — what ppb means and what to look for.
Dissolved hydrogen concentration is measured in parts per billion (ppb) or milligrams per litre (mg/L). The two are equivalent at standard conditions: 1 mg/L ≈ 1,000 ppb.
Natural water contains essentially zero dissolved hydrogen — it outgasses immediately at atmospheric pressure. A hydrogen water generator dissolves H₂ under pressure to achieve concentrations above the natural saturation point.
Typical concentration ranges by device type:
Basic portable bottles — 500–1,500 ppb. Adequate for a first introduction to hydrogen water.
Mid-range PEM/SPE generators — 1,500–3,000 ppb. The range most commonly used in published research studies on hydrogen water.
High-output PEM/SPE generators — 3,000–5,000 ppb. The W30 in our range produces ≥3,000 ppb hydrogen-rich water alongside inhalation output simultaneously.
An important note on outgassing: dissolved hydrogen begins leaving solution as soon as pressure is released — when you open the container or pour the water. Consume hydrogen-rich water promptly after generation for maximum concentration. A glass of hydrogen water left open for 30 minutes will have significantly lower dissolved H₂ than when first poured.