Water represents approximately 50–60% of an adult's body weight and is the primary environment in which the body's biochemical reactions take place. It is present in the blood, the intracellular and extracellular compartments, tissues, and organs, and participates in the transport of nutrients, metabolites, and electrolytes.

For this reason, talking about water also means talking about physiological balance.

In recent years, research has focused not only on the quantity of water consumed, but also on its physicochemical characteristics: mineral composition, pH, redox potential, and the presence of dissolved gases.

This is where hydrogen-rich alkaline water fits in, in which several characteristics are integrated into the same product.

It is therefore not a matter of considering alkalinity and hydrogen separately, but of understanding how alkaline pH, minerals, and molecular hydrogen can contribute to defining a particular physicochemical environment of the water.

Water as a biological environment

From a biological point of view, water is much more than a simple hydration vehicle.

Its molecular structure, the ability to form hydrogen bonds, the presence of ions, and the concentration of dissolved substances determine fundamental physical properties.

Water influences:

the osmolarity of body fluids, the transport of electrolytes, cellular function, thermoregulation, circulation, the elimination of waste products, and numerous metabolic processes.

This makes the study of waters characterized by a defined physicochemical profile particularly interesting.

The goal is not simply to “drink water,” but to obtain water that is consistent, controlled, and analytically characterized.

Hydrogen-rich alkaline water: an integrated system

Hydrogen-rich alkaline water can be characterized by the simultaneous presence of several parameters:

alkaline pH, dissolved molecular hydrogen, reduced redox potential, alkaline minerals, and specific organoleptic characteristics.

Each of these parameters describes a different property.

The pH indicates acidity or alkalinity.

The ORP, or oxidation-reduction potential, describes the redox characteristics of the system.

Dissolved H₂ represents the amount of molecular hydrogen present in the water.

The mineralization determines the presence of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and other elements.

Considered together, these parameters define the profile of the produced water.

Alkaline pH and acid-base balance

One of the most evident characteristics of hydrogen-rich alkaline water is its pH.

Water with a pH greater than 7 is defined as alkaline.

However, it is important to understand what this means from a physiological point of view.

Human blood normally maintains a pH within a very narrow range, approximately 7.35–7.45. This balance is controlled mainly by buffer systems, respiration, and the kidneys.

Drinking alkaline water therefore does not mean directly and permanently changing the pH of the blood.

The physiological meaning of alkaline water must be interpreted more correctly: its pH and mineral composition can modify the gastrointestinal environment and, above all, certain parameters of renal excretion by alkalizing our body.

Molecular hydrogen: a biologically interesting component

The other distinctive characteristic is the presence of molecular hydrogen, H₂, dissolved in water.

H₂ is a very small and neutral molecule, capable of diffusing rapidly through various biological compartments.

Its scientific interest increased considerably after the study published by Ohsawa et al. in 2007 in Nature Medicine, in which a possible activity of hydrogen against certain reactive oxygen species was observed.

Since then, numerous experimental and clinical studies have been published.

A review of clinical literature collected studies on the use of molecular hydrogen in various fields, highlighting interesting preliminary results but also the need for larger and more rigorous clinical studies.

Scientific interest derives mainly from the possibility that H₂ could influence certain mechanisms associated with:

oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and the cellular response to stress.

From hydrogen to oxidative stress

The body physiologically produces reactive oxygen species, or ROS.

Not all are harmful: at low concentrations, they participate in cellular communication and the immune response.

The problem arises when the production of ROS exceeds the body's ability to control them.

This creates an imbalance defined as oxidative stress.

Molecular hydrogen has been studied precisely in relation to these processes.

Research suggests that its possible biological effect does not depend exclusively on the direct reaction with free radicals, but may also involve cellular systems for regulating oxidative stress and inflammation.

Among the studied pathways are Nrf2/ARE and NF-κB, involved respectively in the antioxidant response and inflammatory processes.

This makes H₂ a molecule of interest in biomedical research, although it does not yet allow hydrogenated water to be considered a therapy.

The role of redox potential

The third important parameter is ORP, the oxidation-reduction potential.

A negative ORP indicates that the aqueous environment has a greater tendency toward reducing conditions.

In the case of hydrogen-rich alkaline water, the redox potential can be influenced by the simultaneous presence of:

dissolved H₂, minerals, pH, and materials used in the treatment process.

This is important because ORP must not be interpreted in isolation.

Alkalinity, minerals, and hydrogen: a technological combination

The value of the integrated approach lies precisely in the combination of these characteristics.

Water can be subjected to a process in which:

reverse osmosis removes the numerous unwanted substances present in the starting water;

remineralization restores a controlled mineral composition;

mineralizing materials contribute to determining the pH and redox characteristics;

the technological process allows the presence of dissolved molecular hydrogen;

the final result is water with a defined physicochemical profile.

In other words, it is not simply a matter of obtaining “alkaline water” or “hydrogen water”.

The goal is to produce hydrogen-rich alkaline water, in which the different characteristics contribute to defining the final product.

Why mineralization is important

Reverse osmosis is an extremely effective technology for the removal of numerous dissolved substances.

However, the membrane does not necessarily distinguish between unwanted substances and physiologically useful minerals.

For this reason, in advanced water treatment systems, a subsequent remineralization phase is often used.

Calcium, magnesium, and potassium contribute to the final composition of the water and its organoleptic characteristics.

The result is therefore not simply “purified” water, but water in which the mineral profile is reconstructed and controlled.

Water and cellular function

Proper hydration is essential for maintaining normal cellular function.

Cells continuously regulate their water and electrolyte content through membranes, ion channels, and transporters.

Among the most important proteins in water transport are aquaporins, transmembrane channels specialized in the movement of water molecules.

Ingested water is first absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and then distributed through the body compartments according to normal physiological mechanisms.

Research on hydrogen-rich water

Clinical research on H₂ is becoming progressively moreextensive.

A systematic review in 2024 analyzed 25 studies related to hydrogen-rich water, highlighting preliminary results regarding oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolism, and physical capacity.

A meta-analysis in 2024 involving 8 randomized studies and 357 participants with metabolic alterations found possible improvements in certain lipid parameters, including triglycerides and total cholesterol.

These results are interesting because they indicate a possible biological effect of H₂, but they must be considered as preliminary evidence and not as proof of a general therapeutic effect.

A possible role in the response to oxidative stress

One of the most interesting aspects of hydrogen-rich alkaline water therefore concerns the relationship between hydration and redox homeostasis.

The body already possesses sophisticated antioxidant systems:

superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and other enzymatic systems.

H₂ could interact with these systems through cellular modulation mechanisms.

Hydrogen-rich alkaline water and blood

Blood is an extremely regulated biological system.

When we consume water, it is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and distributed through the body compartments.

It is therefore not correct to state that water with a pH of 9.5 directly transforms blood into an alkaline liquid.

Instead, it is scientifically interesting to study whether the characteristics of ingested water can influence systemic biomarkers, oxidative stress, metabolism, or other physiological parameters.

A New Vision of Water

The most modern approach does not consist in asking whether water is simply “pure”.

The question becomes:

What is its physicochemical profile?

How mineralized is it?

What is its pH?

What is its redox potential?

How much molecular hydrogen does it contain?

How stable are these characteristics?

And, above all, which of these characteristics produce measurable effects in the body?

This is the transition from simple filtration to advanced water technology.

BAB Water: Alkalinity, Hydrogen, and Mineralization in a Single System

The concept behind BAB Water can therefore be expressed through a single idea:

water in which purity, alkalinity, mineralization, and molecular hydrogen are designed together.

The system starts with the purification of water through reverse osmosis and continues through a remineralization and specific treatment phase.

The result is water characterized by a set of parameters that can be analyzed and verified:

alkaline pH

presence of dissolved H₂

redox potential

mineral profile

organoleptic characteristics

This combination represents the true distinguishing element.

There is no need to pit alkaline water against hydrogen water.

BAB Water is born precisely from the integration of these two characteristics.

From Purity to Bioactivity

The concept of water thus evolves through three steps.

1. PURIFY

Reduce contaminants and unwanted substances present in the source water.

2. RECONSTRUCT

Restore a controlled and pleasant mineral profile to the water.

3. ENHANCE

Obtain alkaline water characterized by the presence of molecular hydrogen and specific redox properties.

This integration is what defines the philosophy of BAB Water.

Not just filtered water. Not just alkaline water. Not just hydrogen water.

A single system in which purity, minerals, alkalinity, and hydrogen work together to create a new hydration experience.

Scientific References

Ohsawa I, Ishikawa M, Takahashi K, et al. Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. Nature Medicine. 2007;13:688–694.

Dhillon G, et al. Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax?—A Systematic Review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024;25:973.

Akatsuka I, et al. Electrolyzed hydrogen-rich water for oxidative stress suppression and improvement of insulin resistance: multicenter prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial. 2022.

Jamialahmadi H, et al. The Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Blood Lipid Profiles in Metabolic Disorders Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. 2024.

Zhang G, et al. Baseline urine pH is related to effective urine alkalization by short-term alkaline water supplementation. Translational Andrology and Urology. 2022;11:710–719.

Systematic review: Health effects of alkaline, oxygenated, and demineralized water compared to mineral water among healthy population. Reviews on Environmental Health. 2022.