In combat sports, competitors are separated into weight divisions, to create equality between the athletes. Consequently, rapid weight loss (RWL) is a common practice in combat sports. Although the methods used to induce RWL are similar among athletes, currently, there are limited data concerning the RWL methodologies used by sambo athletes. Therefore, this study aimed at determining RWL procedures among female sambo athletes. Participants in the study were top-level athletes competing at the World Sambo Championship held in Novi Sad. A total sample of 47 female sambo athletes, of whom 24 were seniors (27.3 ± 4 year/age, 1.61 ± 0.09 m/height, 61.8 ± 8.87 kg/weight) and 23 juniors (18.7 ± 0.8 year/age, 1.66 ± 0.07 m/height, 63.7 ± 12.1 kg/weight), were examined in the study. To determine RWL methods, data were collected through a standardized questionnaire. As a result, 88.7% of the female sambo athletes declared that they intentionally cut their weight before the competition. The most commonly used methods were gradual dieting, followed by sauna, fluid restriction, and skipping meals. The most considerable influence on the RWL strategies of athletes came from coaches and personal trainers, while physicians and dietitians were far less influential. The results obtained from this representative sample highlight the most common practices concerning weight cutting prior to competition among females. Therefore, there is a need to inform and educate both athletes and coaches about the potentially harmful effects of RWL in combat sports.

Background and Objectives: Preliminary studies indicate that dihydrogen (H₂) may affect molecular pathways involved in appetite regulation; however, its role in influencing patient-reported appetite outcomes in individuals with obesity remains uncertain. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial aimed to evaluate the effects of H₂ supplementation on appetite, body composition, sleep quality, obesity-specific quality of life, and related biomarkers in obese men and women. Materials and Methods: The study included 36 participants (24 females; age 42.1 ± 13.2 years; BMI 30.8 ± 4.2 kg/m²) randomized to receive either 1.0 L of hydrogen-rich water (15 mg of H₂) or 1.0 L of control water (0 mg of H₂) daily for eight weeks. Results: The results demonstrated that hydrogen-rich water significantly mitigated cravings (p = 0.05), improved subjective sleep quality (p = 0.05), reduced total cholesterol (p = 0.02) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.04), and increased plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 levels (p = 0.05) compared to the control. No severe adverse effects were reported throughout the trial. Conclusions: These findings suggest that hydrogen-rich water may serve as a safe and effective dietary strategy to address appetite regulation and related metabolic indices in individuals with obesity. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06722326).

Background and Aims: Preliminary studies indicate that dihydrogen (H₂) may affect molecular pathways involved in appetite regulation; however, its role in influencing patient-reported appetite outcomes in individuals with obesity remains uncertain. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial aimed to evaluate the effects of H₂ supplementation on appetite, body composition, sleep quality, obesity-specific quality of life, and related biomarkers in obese men and women. Methods and Results: The study included 36 participants (24 females; age 42.1 ± 13.2 years, BMI 30.8 ± 4.2 kg/m²) randomized to receive either 1.0 L of hydrogen-rich water (15 mg of H₂) or 1.0 L of control water (0 mg of H₂) daily for eight weeks. Results demonstrated that hydrogen-rich water significantly mitigated cravings (P = 0.05), improved subjective sleep quality (P = 0.05), reduced total cholesterol (P = 0.02) and LDL cholesterol (P = 0.04), and increased plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 levels (P = 0.05) compared to the control. No severe adverse effects were reported throughout the trial. Conclusions: These findings suggest that hydrogen-rich water may serve as a safe and effective dietary strategy to address appetite regulation and related metabolic indices in individuals with obesity. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06722326).

Background: Hydrogen-infused water (HIW) has attracted considerable interest over the past two decades due to its potential health benefits. However, its effects on exercise performance and hydration biomarkers remain inadequately explored, particularly in physically active populations such as collegiate athletes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of medium-term HIW supplementation on running performance, hydration biomarkers, and health-related quality of life in collegiate athletes. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was conducted with twelve collegiate athletes (age: 25.1 ± 3.5 years, six female). Participants consumed 660 mL daily of either HIW (300 µmol/L dihydrogen) or control water (0 µmol/L dihydrogen) for four weeks, with a two-week washout period between interventions. Exercise performance was assessed using an incremental running-to-exhaustion test with a breath-by-breath metabolic system. Hydration biomarkers were measured using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, and health-related quality of life was evaluated using the SF-36 survey. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06788015). Results: HIW supplementation significantly increased maximum running velocity and velocity at the anaerobic threshold compared to control water (P < 0.05). Mental and general health scores on the SF-36 survey were significantly higher after HIW supplementation (P = 0.05 and P = 0.03, respectively). A trend toward increased intracellular water and body minerals was observed following HIW consumption (P < 0.20). No adverse effects were reported throughout the study. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that HIW is a safe and potentially effective intervention for enhancing both physical performance and overall well-being in active individuals. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Molecular hydrogen (H₂) exerts pleiotropic bioactive effects via redox modulation, cell signaling, and anti-inflammatory pathways, enhancing cellular adaptability through hormetic mechanisms. Although increasingly studied, its dynamic behavior in response to acute physiological stressors remains insufficiently characterized. This pilot study investigated post-exercise breath H₂ kinetics as a potential non-invasive proxy for metabolic and redox shifts during recovery. Thirty healthy adults (mean age: 23.5 ± 3.8 years) completed an incremental treadmill test to voluntary exhaustion. Breath H₂ concentrations, assessed via electrochemical fuel cell analysis, declined sharply at 5 minutes post-exercise (36.37 ± 32.12 to 16.20 ± 16.22 ppm; Z = -4.352, p < 0.001), followed by partial recovery at 15 minutes (28.47 ± 33.76 ppm; p = 0.003) and near-baseline levels at 30 minutes (30.10 ± 37.20 ppm; p = 0.027). A secondary decrease emerged at 60 minutes (29.23 ± 36.55 ppm; p = 0.01). These temporal dynamics implicate breath H₂ as a sensitive marker of exercise-induced redox perturbations and microbial-host metabolic interplay.