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Needing water to survive is a great leveller, however – it is true of all of us, whether we prefer it straight, boiled with coffee, full of sugar syrup or otherwise hidden in any number of drinks that, despite their names, largely consist of H2O.
For some, however, simple water is not enough. Unhappy with the strict two-to-one ratio of hydrogen atoms to oxygen atoms, they want more H per sip – it is, after all, the most abundant chemical element in the universe.
Enter the Echo Flask. Sold for £299, the rechargeable battery-powered product “transforms everyday water into hydrogen-rich water” through electrolysis, aiming to “support energy, improve recovery [and] promote focus,” according to Echo Water.
Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, the latest version features a built-in accelerometer to monitor usage and “encourage proper drinking habits”, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity to synchronise with phones. The Utah firm says it is “shaping the next era of hydrogen wellness”, but how big will the bubble grow?
Doing the splits
Resembling a hybrid of a sports bottle, a battery pack and an old-school MP3 player, the Echo Flask is a 360ml water bottle with a proton exchange membrane (PEM) built in. The “medical-grade titanium” PEM splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, returning hydrogen to dissolve in the water chamber and venting excess oxygen. Videos on the Echo website show hydrogen bubbling up from the bottom as it generates up to eight parts per million of the molecule, equating to just over 6mg per litre after 10 minutes and just over 8mg after 20 minutes.
Sipping directly from such a high-tech piece of kit might raise concerns, but the Echo site promises “no pH distortion, no heavy metal residue and no BPA [Bisphenol A] byproducts”.
Lab reports support Echo’s hydrogen generation claims, but the bigger question for potential customers will likely be: “Do I actually need extra hydrogen in my water?”
While Echo is careful to state its products are “not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease” and it “makes no medical claims – only general wellness support”, it also says it “shares the health benefits of hydrogen,” which “empowers cells to self-regulate, improving energy production, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting natural healing”.
Healthy or hoax?
Academics have looked into the potential benefits of hydrogen-rich water, including a systematic review of 25 articles titled ‘Hydrogen Water: Extra Healthy or a Hoax?’ in the January 2024 issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
“Although preliminary results are encouraging, further research with larger sample sizes and rigorous methodologies is needed to substantiate these findings,” the researchers wrote. “Even though there is great potential in understanding the benefits of hydrogen-rich water, we still have to overcome the existing limitations. We need well-designed studies in humans, with… long-term trials, to ascertain the benefits.”
While more evidence might be needed to prove health benefits, those with more engineering-focused minds might have different ideas for what is basically a portable electrolyser. Could a similar, larger unit provide a mobile top-up for transport or domestic energy applications? Only time will tell.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.