The number of people that know about the health benefits that are created by molecular hydrogen in minimal in North America. That may be about to change. How fast? Who knows, but a groundswell of interest about the gas is building.
I have been grinding away for many months trying to understand molecular hydrogen. Understanding chemistry when you are not a chemist is difficult. To make matters worse, you have to learn a completely new language that scientists use.
The source of most of my information came from the scientific website www.molecularhydrogenfoundation.org.
The website was created as a resource center for scientists. My favorite part of the site is found in the Articles tab where there are a few articles that I can actually understand without having to read them six times. The author is a chemist and obviously very knowledgeable, and also seems to carry a grudge against the alkaline water industry guys for their prolonged abuse of scientific facts over the years. I can relate to that as I had my share of issues with the players in the industry myself before I moved on. The main message for me from the website is that there is overwhelming evidence from the scientific community that molecular hydrogen gas is good stuff.
I have also been checking out a few websites that have recently popped up that are selling molecular hydrogen products. It doesn’t surprise me that the sites are trumpeting the virtues of molecular hydrogen and claiming it to be the next “best thing ever”. I have to wonder what people think when they visit those sites. When they see stuff (this time I use stuff as a replacement word for another word that doesn’t belong in a G rated blog) like “this is the greatest product we have ever seen”, do they think that all the other items the sell must suck, or do they just bounce off the site like I do? Suffice it to say that the “trust me baby” sign flashing in bright neon doesn’t work too well with me.
I recently came across a new website about molecular hydrogen that I really like so far. You can check it out at: www.H2HealthyLiving.com According to the ABOUT tab, they believe that molecular hydrogen gas is an important scientific breakthrough and they are committed to explain things in terms that people like me can understand (hooray for that). Based upon the first few articles they have posted, I would have to say “so far so good”. I wish the site was around a year ago when I was searching all over the internet for information.
Great post! I visited this site a few years ago while trying to help a friend who had cancer. Initially, I was going to buy her a Kangen machine with my very limited funds, but much to the chagrin of my Kangen dealer, I started doing some research and found your site before I plunked down the cash. I ended up buying 4 Alkasream counter-top units for less than a quarter of what I would have paid for that Enagic. She really appreciated the gift, and I’m happy to say that she is now in remission.
I was recently in a restaurant that gives away Kangen water with their meals, and the issue has resurfaced. I see that there is a new buzz word in the air. My question to you is this:
I’m no chemist, but it appears that the alkaline filters, such as the Vitev Flo already do what hydrogen infusion machines do. By using magnesium to lower the ORP and add hydrogen, their ahead of the game, it’s just a matter of marketing. Is this a correct assumption?
I live in an apartment now that uses well water. I haven’t had it tested, but straight out of the tap, it certainly does smell and taste funky. I’m debating on getting a new replacement filter for my Alkastream, if they even still make them, getting a Flo, or waiting to see what these new devices will be like. Your thoughts?
Hi Grace:
Thanks for the feedback on your experience with Alkastream which was upgraded and replaced in recent years in the USA by the Vitev Flo.
Alkaline filters can create molecular hydrogen at a very low cost. The problem with any magnesium based product is that the reaction of Mg with water that produces H2 also produces magnesium hydroxide. The magnesium hydroxide coats the Mg layer by layer every time the magnesium and water interact. The progressive layers (think of layers of an onion) of Mg(OH)2 that build up on the Mg end up choking off the ability of the Mg to produce H2. As a result, Mg itself is self-defeating
Magnesium filters like the Vitev Flo and the UltraStream, which are capable of producing H2 need to be cleaned with vinegar regularly (as in daily to produce therapeutic doses of H2 or weekly to produce smaller amounts of H2). If the filters are not cleaned every week, they will stop producing H2, much like electric alkaline water ionizers.
You might want to check out the VYVwater Pitcher and filters (see http://www.vyvwater.com). They sell pitchers and filters that fit into Brita or Mavea pitchers. I have been seen independent test results for the filters that indicate they produce up to 1.0 ppm of H2 for a few hours after a vinegar rinse and thereafter produce H2 at about 0.3 ppm of H2 for a week after cleaning. The VYVwater filters are simple to clean in a couple of minutes as you can pour vinegar into the filter and it runs out the bottom of the filter. Other magnesium based “closed in” filters are much more difficult to clean. The VYVwater filters typically sell for US$45 for a three pack that will last for 6 to 9 months.
As you suggested, alkaline filters kinda do what hydrogen infusion machines do, but not really.
In fact, in Japan where the market for hydrogen is huge, companies are not allowed to sell magnesium based products for production of H2. That doesn’t mean magnesium won’t produce H2, it just means that the concentration of H2 produced varies all over the place and is self-defeating
Thanks, Rob.
I checked VYV out. I like their components. Their filters will make a great cost-effective, short-term solution until some good, reliable electric systems come to the U.S. Market. Thank you for keeping us informed!
Hi Grace:
I believe that http://www.h2healthyliving.com will be providing a Recommended Products list very soon.
Hi Rob,
I’ve enjoyed reading your latest posts regarding Hydrogen. I’m considering purchasing the Vitev Ripple sink top filter or the Santevia Gravity Water Filtration system. Have you heard of these products and if so, what are your thoughts on the quality / effectiveness of producing decent alkaline, mineral, and H2O infused water?
Thanks.
Hi Shameer:
I know the Santevia product. I’m not a big fan but at least it is not expensive.
I know the Vitev company well as I helped develop a number of their products. I don’t know the Ripple as they must have recently introduced it and I have been away on a cross country road trip. The Ripple sounds very much like a lower cost above-counter version of Vitev’s Maxx. The price tag of $495 (or $445 if you use their auto-ship program) makes it very competitive with other RO systems on the market (see Costco, Home Depot etc) once you account for the extra cost of the remineralization filter. I don’t know how the Ripple can produce water on-demand without a holding tank and I don’t know how the waste-water makes its way to the drain unless the Ripple just uses a drain line like an electric water ionizer. I will ask those questions next week. I hope Vitev’s Ripple has some kind of cover to hide the filters as I know my wife would never stand for having what I see in the picture in our kitchen. I like the “lightness” of the Vitev website but I think they need to do a little more work on Ripple presentation.
Both products that you mentioned clean and remineralize the water. The Vitev product is vastly superior imo on every count, but of course it is more expensive.
As you noted, I have been researching H2 (molecular hydrogen). Once you understand H2, it lets the proverbial cat out of the bag and you just can’t go back to the alkaline story. People need to understand that alkaline is pretty much meaningless when it comes to health. Alkalinity (the ability to buffer) is important. Both the Santevia and the Vitev products (to a much greater extent) provide some alkalinity which a function of their products running water over alkaline minerals.
I haven’t tested the Santevia product for H2 production but I know that the Vitev products contain elemental magnesium which is capable of producing H2 when it comes in contact with water for a short period of time. The use of magnesium to produce H2 works, but you need to constantly clean the filter with citric or acedic acid to remove the buildup of magnesium hydroxide and magnesium oxide which builds up on the elemental magnesium.
If you want to see what the “best of the best” looks like, take a look at http://www.h2fx.com in the next week or two (the site is not finished). They are introducing the Xcell, a hydrogen water ionizer that I believe completely redefines the healthy water industry in America. I was at a meeting last Monday in Orlando with some of the top hydrogen guys in the world and witnessed the Xcell machine in action. I will be getting one of those machines for my home for sure.
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