Energy vs Hydrogen
The invisible fuel of life - the biological miracle of hydrogen
We move, breathe, stay warm, and continue living throughout the day. Yet we are not plugged into an outlet. Where do we get this energy? Most people immediately answer “oxygen.” Yes, oxygen is life. But the true source of energy is not oxygen, it is HYDROGEN.
Hydrogen is the simplest yet most meaningful element in nature. Like a society, it is a structure that has learned to coexist with other elements. Just like people, friendships, marriages, even nations — it carries the subtlety of existing together. As the fundamental building block of life, hydrogen is a balancing element not only in the universe but also within the human body.
Today’s engineering world sees hydrogen as the fuel of the future. When hydrogen energy is used in vehicles, it will provide both an environmentally friendly and long-lasting energy source. Yet engineering has still not fully mastered this natural miracle. Because hydrogen is extremely flammable, volatile, and unstable. Yet our body has already solved this issue.
Our body produces hydrogen through the oxidation of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates we consume, as well as from water molecules. Foods and water — that is, H2O — break down inside the cell and release oxygen and hydrogen ions. While oxygen reaches the cells and enables them to function, the energy that comes from hydrogen supports this process. The released hydrogen ions travel to the mitochondria through hydrogen carriers and form ATP, adenosine triphosphate — the fundamental energy of life. This is the body’s biological battery.
ATP is found most abundantly in the heart, followed by the liver and fat tissue. Thanks to hydrogen’s production, every cell breathes, works, and lives. Hydrogen also balances the stomach with both its corrosive and protective sides. The corrosive power of stomach acid is balanced by the bicarbonate layer formed by hydrogen. One part of the element breaks down food as acid, while another part repairs and protects as a bicarbonate layer. This is the ongoing miracle of balance within life.
It is also hydrogen that keeps the body’s pH around 7.4. When it decreases, the body goes into alkalosis; when it increases, into acidosis. The heartbeat, the work of the brain, the breath of the cell — all depend on this small element. Hydrogen is not only within us but everywhere in the universe. In the light of the sun, inside vegetables, in every drop of water. When we eat those vegetables, we also take in the sun’s energy — hydrogen. That is why drinking water, eating in balance, and taking the right amount of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is not just nutrition; it is actually energy management.
Long-term fat-free diets or extreme restrictions can disrupt the body’s energy balance. Sixty percent of our brain is made of fat; excessive restriction can also disturb neurological balance. For a healthy life, water, fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates must be taken together and in balance. As a result, it would not be surprising if a concept like a “hydrogen diet” appears one day. But perhaps the simplest form of this diet is this: Drink two and a half to three liters of water a day, and with proper protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake, keep your body’s hydrogen balance strong.