Hydrogen water for ME/CFS: a 16-week comparison to placebo
Official title: Randomized Controlled Trial of Moderate Dose Hydrogen Water as a Treatment for ME/CFS
Run by Stony Brook University · NCT07753122 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This 16-week pilot study tests whether hydrogen water helps reduce fatigue and improve physical function in adults with ME/CFS, compared with a placebo.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Stony Brook University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Stony Brook, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 15, 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 2027 |
| Study ends | July 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 7, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07753122 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18-65 with ME/CFS who can perform study tasks and have internet access, screened for eligibility.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with conditions or factors excluded by the trial criteria (e.g., unmanaged thyroid issues, significant kidney disease, high BMI, active psychosis, recent psychiatric crises) may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a randomized, controlled pilot trial comparing hydrogen water to placebo in adults with chronic fatigue syndrome. Participants follow a 10-day graduated dosing schedule, then continue a standard daily dose for 16 weeks. The study also tests heart rate variability as a biomarker to predict who may improve with treatment. Outcomes focus on fatigue and physical functioning, with analyses exploring two potential responder subgroups based on HRV. The goal is to determine if hydrogen water could offer a safe, accessible treatment option and to validate a biomarker of response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may experience reduced fatigue and better physical function from hydrogen water.
How similar studies have gone: Prior observational work suggested HRV could differentiate responders, but this randomized pilot is among the first to test hydrogen water with a cardiovascular biomarker for ME/CFS.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
* Patients aged 18-65 of both sexes
* considered physically capable and willing to perform the study tasks
* Meet validated phone-screen eligibility for ME/CFS criteria
* Participant has internet and computer
Exclusion Criteria:
* Cases of fatigue clearly attributable to self-report medical conditions such as untreated hypothyroidism, unstable diabetes mellitus, organ failure, chronic infections, and chronic inflammatory diseases, or AIDS. Kidney disease/renal failure is also an exclusion
* Exclusionary psychiatric disorders include any psychosis, or alcohol/ substance abuse within two years prior to illness onset and any time afterward, and current or past depression with melancholic or psychotic features within 5 years prior to onset of ME/CFS or anytime afterward
* Pregnancy is an exclusion.
* Patients with BMI\>35
\_\_\_\_Patients regularly taking therapeutic magnesium.
* Patients at significant risk of suicide or in need of urgent psychiatric treatment. As much as possible, appropriate medical and psychiatric referrals to facilities local to subjects will be provided.
Where it's running
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Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Fred Friedberg, PhD — Stony Brook University
- Study coordinator: Fred Friedberg, PhD
- Email: Fred.Friedberg@stonybrookmedicine.edu
- Phone: 16316381931
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.