By the CH2RGE Study Team
The quick take
Performance nights are a cocktail of stress hormones, oxidative load, heat and dehydration. Early human data suggest HRW can steady mood and autonomic tone and help you feel less fried after the show.
What the evidence shows
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Mood, anxiety & autonomic balance: In a randomised, double-blind 4-week trial, daily HRW improved mood and anxiety scores and reduced sympathetic nerve activity at rest versus placebo. Translation: calmer baseline under pressure. PubMed Central+1
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Recovery signal: Sport studies show lower lactate and less perceived fatigue with HRW — helpful when you’ve got a second set or back-to-back shows. PubMed
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State of the evidence: A 2024 systematic review concludes HRW shows promising antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects across use-cases, while calling for larger trials (fair). PubMed Central
Why it maps to stage work
Stage work blends endurance, heat, fine motor control, breath work and nerves. The mix of oxidative stress + sympathetic drive is exactly what HRW has been tested against in early human studies. PubMed Central
How to use it (practical)
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Load for 2–4 weeks if you’re heading into a tour block (mirrors the mood/anxiety trial).
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Pre-show can 30–60 mins before call time, then post-show during cool-down for recovery. PubMed Central
The CH2RGE process (why ours over plain water)
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Dissolved molecular hydrogen retained in non-permeable cans, so the H₂ you paid for is the H₂ you drink.
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Batch-level verification of dissolved H₂ to keep things consistent from rehearsal week to opening night.
Plain water hydrates; CH2RGE adds an H₂ signal associated with calmer autonomic tone and lower fatigue in small human trials. PubMed Central+1
Bottom line for performers
Think of HRW as hydration with a potential edge for the two enemies of live performance — over-arousal and residual fatigue. Not a sedative, not a stimulant, just cleaner headspace and recovery potential.
