On the website, it is claimed, among other things, that the water bottle can help prevent diabetes, cancer, and many other diseases.
The water bottle is said to be high-tech and to have almost miraculous health benefits. It is claimed to prevent over 150 health issues: cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and much more.
Can it really be so fantastic?
When Norran investigates the expensive "health water," a different picture emerges.
We can reveal, among other things, forged reviews. Additionally, the water bottle is criticized by researchers – and literally falls apart when we try to test it.
But let's start from the beginning. The water bottle is called "Novia Hydrobottle" and has been sold and marketed by the Skellefteå-based company R.F Media AB. The regular price for a water bottle is 1,399 kronor.
The bottle is said to add hydrogen to the water, which in turn is supposed to provide antioxidants that prevent "oxidative stress," which according to the company is the root cause of diabetes, cancer, insomnia, and various diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
While the body does produce antioxidants on its own, it is claimed on the website that this is not sufficient. "Extra from other sources" is needed.
Over a hundred positive reviews – but not a single negative one.
The company website boasts glowing reviews from alleged users, suspiciously lacking any negative feedback. One such review claims, "As a big water enthusiast, I fell in love with the Hydrobottle at first use."
However, these testimonials raise concerns about authenticity. For instance, a reviewer named "Jarl Knutsson" doesn't appear in Sweden's national registry. Our suspicions are confirmed – more details on this later in the article.
Experts critical
We contacted Professor Dan Larhammar, a board member of the Science and Public Education association and an expert on pseudoscience. Upon reviewing the marketing materials for the water bottle, Professor Larhammar identified several red flags.
– It bears clear signs of pseudoscience. The water is claimed to have an effect on a very wide range of health issues, which is not reasonable. There are quotes from experts that are difficult to trace and reviews from private individuals, all of whom are very enthusiastic, he says.
Dan Larhammar, professor and board member of the association Science and Public Education.
The website features a link to a collection of 1,300 studies on the health benefits of hydrogen. While the vast majority are categorized as "positive," there's no transparency regarding the selection process, raising concerns about potential bias.
Professor Larhammar acknowledges the possibility of some positive effects from hydrogen-enriched water.
However, he emphasizes the lack of conclusive evidence.
– The sheer number of studies presented isn't indicative. The quality of research is paramount. There are journals, after all, that publish anything for a fee.
Our investigation into the advertised price of this bottle raises concerns. While the manufacturer claims a regular price of 1,399 kronor, the bottle has consistently been offered at a "short-term" discount during the period we examined.
The company claims the bottle can prevent cancer, among other diseases. What's your take on that?
– Such a serious claim requires exceptionally strong evidence. Currently, there are no replicated cancer studies supporting this. Additionally, even if there were, we'd need a clear understanding of the mechanism to rule out unexpected side effects. Can hydrogen in water even reach tumor cells within the body?
– In my view, this is a cheap marketing ploy for a readily available product. It's easy to infuse water and make unsubstantiated claims, but I believe the marketing here is baseless and exaggerated, says Professor Larhammar.
The poorly-written instruction manual continues to make unsubstantiated claims about preventing diseases like cancer and diabetes, raising concerns about its accuracy and potential for misleading users.
Professor Ulf Ellervik, an organic chemist at Lund University, also scoffs at the idea of hydrogen-enriched water.
– Our bodies have an extremely limited capacity to absorb hydrogen from water, especially when ingested. We simply exhale it. There have been studies where people with inflammation inhaled near-pure hydrogen, showing some positive effects, but that's entirely different.
– In my opinion, we can confidently dismiss hydrogen water as a scam, he concludes.
Ulf Ellervik, professor of organic chemistry, also does not believe in the product.
To investigate the claims made by the company, we ordered their water bottle for closer inspection. Interestingly, during our months-long investigation, the bottle was always advertised at a discounted price of 699 kronor.
Upon arrival, the China-shipped bottle came in a box with a QR code. Scanning the code led us to a Google page where seemingly identical water bottles were available for a significantly lower price.
It took several weeks for us to receive the water bottle as it was shipped from China.
The instruction manual is poorly written in English. However, we wokr out that the bottle should be charged using a USB cable and then filled with water. Subsequently, pressing a button initiates a process called electrolysis, purportedly adding hydrogen and oxygen to the water.
"Questionable"
The big question remains: does this water bottle actually work? To investigate, we met with Professor Thomas Wågberg, a physics expert at Umeå University. Professor Wågberg was not convinced by the product.
– While the described method for hydrogen production is plausible, the bottle itself seems poorly constructed. It feels flimsy, and I highly doubt it creates a tight enough seal. Hydrogen is a very light gas and escapes easily. Frankly, it's difficult to contain effectively.
Professor Wågberg's skepticism was further fueled by our observation. When we unscrewed the cap, there was no whoosh of air escaping, a sound typically present when a container pressurized with gas is opened. This, according to Professor Wågberg, suggests the hydrogen isn't being trapped within the bottle and is likely leaking directly into the air.
Thomas Wågberg, a physics professor at Umeå University, doesn't think the water bottle meets the standards.
"The ease with which unscientific trends spread on social media is alarming," says scientist Thomas Wågberg. "Platforms like TikTok are making it increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction, as seen with the recent hydrogen-enriched water craze."
Our investigation into the water bottle's functionality raises serious concerns. The detachable bottom, intended to be a feature, appears to be a major flaw. During our testing, the bottom simply came loose, causing the entire contents of the bottle to leak out.
– If they can't even keep water in the bottle, how can they possibly ensure it retains hydrogen gas effectively? This leak raises significant doubts about the product's design, especially considering its premium price point.
Professor Wågberg's skepticism extends beyond the leak issue. He expressed concern about the electrolysis device being in direct contact with the water.
–There's a potential risk of the electrodes and membrane releasing tiny metal particles into the water, he explained.
– These particles could potentially have negative health effects, but I'm not a medical professional, so I can't say for certain.
After just one use, the bottle started leaking water.
When you press the button, it starts to bubble. The bottle lights up in blue when the water is ready to drink.
He agrees with Dan Larhammar and Ulf Ellervik that the marketing claims of the water bottle are "nonsense".
– I am highly skeptical that there is any scientific evidence for everything claimed. The idea that it would prevent cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and so on... I interpret that as pure nonsense, he says.
Skytte response
Our investigation led us to Rasmus Falk Skytte, the Skellefteå resident behind R.F. Media AB, the company that markets and sells the Novia Hydrobottle. We contacted him for clarification on some points, including the website's removal.
– I actually stopped marketing the product about a month ago, Skytte explained.
– I'm considering a change of direction and pursuing other ventures.
Skytte, who started selling the bottles at the beginning of the year, claims to have sold between 400 and 500 water bottles through a dropshipping model. Dropshipping involves fulfilling customer orders by purchasing the product from a third-party supplier, often located outside the EU, upon receiving the order. Skytte revealed his own cost per bottle to be around 380 kronor.
Given the significant markup, we questioned the 1,399 kronor retail price.
– A minimum 300% markup is necessary for the business to be profitable, Skytte responded.
– Additional costs like advertising also factor in. I've advertised on social media platforms and Google, among others.
A search for "hydrogen water" on TikTok, a social media app known for trendsetting content, reveals a multitude of results.
Skytte acknowledges that the initial price point for the Novia Hydrobottle may have been excessive.
– I realized fairly quickly that it was simply too expensive,"he admits, and lowered the price accordingly.
However, some inconsistency remains. We pointed out the concern that lowering the price over several months still seems like a misleading "short-term offer."
–That's a fair point, Skytte conceded.
– Defining 'temporary' is tricky. A month? A week? It's subjective.
We highlighted our discovery of seemingly identical water bottles available for a significantly lower price, around 200 kronor.
–That's the advantage large department stores have, Skytte explained.
– Their bulk purchases allow them to slash prices. Unfortunately, I can't compete in the same way. I have to focus on creating value in other aspects, such as superior customer service.
When we scan the accompanying QR code, we are presented with water bottles that look the same – but are significantly cheaper.
But 1,399 kronor for a product that's also sold for 200 kronor? That's a huge difference.
Skytte understands that the pricing strategy might raise eyebrows.
– I can see why people might react negatively, he admits.
– But I do need to make a profit to keep the business running.
Despite the high price point, Skytte reports limited personal gain.
–Honestly, I haven't been able to take much of a salary from this venture.
However, Skytte finds the business rewarding in other ways.
– It's been a fun experience. I've received positive feedback from many customers who feel the product is beneficial. That's a sign I'm doing something right.
"Faked reviews"
At first, Skytte insists that there is nothing unusual about the reviews on the website.
However, under further questioning, his stance softened.
– Okay, I can admit it, he conceded.
– I do have some control over which reviews are displayed. There was a three-star review I hid because the customer complained about slow delivery. Another one-star review mentioned a broken bottle, but I resolved that situation by sending a replacement.
But isn't that misleading?
– Yes, and I can take responsibility for that.
Do you see no problem with that?
– It might not be very fair. At the same time, I have helped the customer so that they are satisfied. Then I feel in my heart that it is "fair."
Some of the names also seem to be made up?
– That's true. I have added some of the reviews myself. I haven't written any text, just rated them with stars.
Why is that?
– To "boost" my volume so that it looks good.
So, you're lying then?
– No, it's not so great. But I've tried to stick to not writing reviews, just rating with stars.
Skytte reveals that he designed the website himself.
What evidence do you have that this water bottle can help with, for example, cancer?
– If you read it yourself, it talks about oxidative stress. I've tried to read up quite a bit myself too. But I'm not a researcher, I've just read the studies and tried to understand everything. There are a lot of studies.
If you're cheating with the reviews, then you might also have exaggerated with other claims?
– I don't. I've read the studies and tried to angle it in a good way.
The experts I've talked to say the claims are unfounded and exaggerated.
– I agree that more research needs to be done on it. There is too little research, but at the same time, a lot of research is being done.
Is it really responsible of you to claim that the bottle can help with "150 different health issues," then?
– I haven't said it will help, just that it "can" help. It's perhaps a balancing act how strongly one should word it.
And what do you think?
– To a certain extent, you can be quite aggressive in your marketing. You don't want to scare people, but still want people to feel good and, above all, encourage them to read up. I don't think it's irresponsible.
– I didn't even need to refer to studies to sell. People would have bought anyway. But I want people to read up, understand, and form their own opinion.
Do you believe in all of this yourself?
– Yes, the more I read up on it, the more I really believe it. Then there's the question of what levels we're talking about. But I believe hydrogen water has a lot of good health effects.
When we tested the bottle, there were signs that the seal might not be tight enough to retain the hydrogen. If so, is it worthless?
– Before I started this, I asked my suppliers to buy an instrument to measure the levels. Then there was a difference. It was quite a significant difference. It was a hell of a difference.
– Some of the hydrogen might escape, and yes, the concentration of the gas could have been even higher. But the suppliers claim that the hydrogen remains for about 30 minutes, so I said "go ahead."
And what are your thoughts on the potential for metal particles to leach into the water?
– It's not something I've thought about. I've trusted my suppliers. It should be food-grade safe.
– It wouldn't make sense for reputable companies to deliberately mislead everyone. After all, the bottle is sold internationally, and surely it would have been pulled from the market if safety concerns existed.
Will you continue to sell this bottle?
–No, I probably won't. I'm looking to focus on other ventures. This is all a learning process, says Skytte.