Nanobubble Technology: The Secret to Infusing More Hydrogen in Water

A hydrogen water machine claiming to give the “highest hydrogen concentration in the market” (their words, not ours) produces up to 4.5 ppm of dissolved H₂ gas.

Frankly speaking, that’s impressive. Most hydrogen water machines struggle to generate a third of that, hovering at hydrogen water concentrations of 0.8 to 1.5 ppm.

But here’s the thing. A 4.5 ppm concentration isn’t the ceiling.

Far from it, in fact. Hydrogen water tablets are capable of fizzing their way to a concentration that more than doubles that figure at up to 10 ppm.

This spotlights a perplexing question. How does something so seemingly low-tech (some may even say no-tech) outperform a machine that harnesses electricity to split water into its 2 components?

That’s what you’ll find out in this article.

How soluble is hydrogen in water?

First things first, let’s establish a baseline.

Hydrogen gas is one of the least soluble gases in water.

The saturation of H₂in water maxes out at just 1.57 ppm (at a room temperature of 25°C and pure H₂gas under the atmospheric pressure at sea level).

Trying to dissolve more would be futile; the excess H₂gas would simply bubble up and escape.

(For reference, you can get ~26 times the dissolved oxygen concentration under the same conditions.)

Understanding how hydrogen water machines sidestep this concentration “ceiling” isn't difficult.

They usually maintain a higher pressure and lower temperature, making the water an ultra-welcoming environment for the molecular hydrogen to snuggle up in. Many feature a fancy proton exchange membrane (PEM) that filters out the undesirables while keeping only the desirable, namely, molecular hydrogen.

Plus, there’s electricity involved! External energy that crams more molecular H₂gas into the water. By force.

But what about hydrogen water tablets? They neither use electricity nor manipulate pressure and/or temperature. So …

How do they get 10 ppm of hydrogen in water?

*gasp* Is it magic?

Uh, not in the strictest sense, but we’re still hesitant to say no because we still think how hydrogen water tablets work is pretty magical.

See, a series of chemical reactions occur once they come into contact with water.

For simplicity, we’re going to skip the specifics and chemical formulas.

All you need to know is that:

H₂gas gets released as nanobubbles

Nanobubbles, also known as ultrafine bubbles, are a relatively recent discovery that has remained somewhat of a mystery to scientists.

Remember how we mentioned that, beyond saturation (1.57 ppm at 1 atm and 25°C), any excess H₂would simply escape?

Well, fascinatingly, the nanobubbles created by hydrogen water tablets don’t behave like your “normal” gas bubbles.

What's so special about nanobubbles?

Instead, they’re incredibly stable and may exist in water for a few hours to several months, even if the water is already saturated (bursting at the seams with) molecular H₂.

Why?

To be honest, researchers aren’t entirely sure, but they hypothesize it comes down to their size.

Nanobubbles are tiny.

At just 70 to 120 nanometers in size, they’re 2,500 times smaller than a single grain of salt or about the size of a virus. Invisible to the naked eye.

Their size gives them a:

High surface area-to-volume ratio, which results in a low internal pressure that significantly cuts their buoyancy — if they can’t make it to the surface of the water, they can’t star in their own version of “Prison Break”.
Strong negative surface charge, preventing individual nanobubbles from merging to form bigger bubbles with enough buoyancy to reach the surface and escape (because like charges repel each other, while unlike charges attract).

It’s thought that, together, the neutral buoyancy and negative surface charge of nanobubbles allow them to remain in suspension for an extended period, building in concentration as long as the chemical reactions of the hydrogen water tablets continue.

… and that’s how hydrogen water tablets give you a staggering molecular H₂gas concentration of up to 10 ppm.

Please still drink promptly

Yes, the nanobubbles generated by hydrogen water tablets are highly stable and may exist in water for a few hours.

But that doesn’t mean you should plop a tablet into a glass of water and then tick off a laundry list of household chores (wiping down the furniture, whipping up dinner, putting away the dishes, etc.) before gulping it down.

In general, it’s a good idea to wait until the tablet has fully dissolved — don’t worry, it’ll be done in minutes! — and then drink the hydrogen water immediately.

Or, if not immediately, ideally within 10 to 15 minutes, so you get the most health benefits from your hydrogen water.

10 ppm is still an exception, not a norm

Currently, hydrogen water tablets are the most portable and concentrated hits of molecular H₂ that you can get your hands on. Hands-down.

But not all hydrogen water tablets can generate enough nanobubbles (or, sometimes, at all) to produce an effective concentration of up to 10 ppm. So, how can you separate the “cans” from the “cannots”?

Good news: we cover what to look for in a hydrogen water tablet here.

In the meantime, though, let us introduce you to a hydrogen water tablet that perfectly delivers up to 10 ppm of molecular hydrogen every time to:

Target oxidative damage and

Re-energize mitochondria (your cellular powerhouses) to support optimal brain, skin, muscle function, and more

Nutrionic™ H₂Energizer tablets.

And just so you know, the dosage and purity of molecular hydrogen generated isn’t their only winning characteristic; Nutrionic™ H₂Energizer tablets also:

Deliver other health-beneficial bioactives, such as free magnesium ions (essential for healthy muscles, nerves, and bones), malic acid (involved in energy production), and tartaric acid (a naturally occurring antioxidant found in a wide diversity of plants)
Are ISHA-certified, which is a testament to the efficacy, purity, and safety of our tablets
Obtained the New Ingredient Dietary Status with the FDA
Are manufactured in a cGMP facility in the United States