By Staff Reporters

    Myth: Too much static electricity is illness-related.

    Truth: The strength of static electricity is related to clothing materials and air humidity

    Some people have recently raised the problem of common static electricity, claiming that excessive static electricity is an indication of disease. According to rumors circulating around the Internet, the increased occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders in autumn and winter is caused by static electricity. Arrhythmia is more common in persons who have more "electricity."

    "Static electrical strength has nothing to do with physical health,” Professor Zhang Sheng of Tianjin University's School of Chemical Engineering told Science and Technology Daily, Zhang explained that static electricity is created by an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges. When a person walks and moves, friction between the sole of the shoe, the floor, and the clothing creates an electrostatic field. If the shoe sole is insulated, the charge on the human body accumulates, and the discharge occurs when it comes into touch with other items.

    "Because of the dry weather and the clothes you wear in the winter, your body's ability to charge electricity improves. The majority of clothing is made of chemical fiber, which is more likely to generate static electricity. The human body can readily build a substantial amount of electric charge after friction," said Zhan, adding that if the air humidity is high, the growth of tiny droplets in the air will enhance the conductivity of the air, reducing the charge collected on the human body, and the phenomena of static electricity will not occur easily.

    It can be noticed that a person's static electricity is more closely tied to the material of their clothing and the humidity of the air. Furthermore, current research findings indicate that static electricity has little direct effect on an organism's internal function, with the exception of causing surface irritation to the hair and skin.

    Myth: Absorbing hydrogen or drinking hydrogen-rich water can help to slow down aging.

    Truth: The working mechanism behind is not clear.

    With the advocation of anti-aging via absorbing hydrogen or drinking hydrogen-rich water, many enterprises sell hydrogen absorption equipment and hydrogen-rich water dispensers. According to the promotion from these sellers, hydrogen absorption or drinking hydrogen-rich water can help fight cancer, improve sleep, and cure all diseases.

    The role of hydrogen in anti-oxidation, reducing inflammation, and inhibiting tumor growth does not seem to be groundless. A recent study  found that by controlling specific cell signaling pathways, hydrogen could activate endogenous antioxidant enzymes in cells or lessen the harm caused by oxidation to the human body. Several recent researches have found that hydrogen can influence the concentration of immune cells or immunological components in the blood, preventing tumor growth.

    At the moment, the varied impacts of hydrogen are still in basic research stage because the exact mechanism of hydrogen's anti-oxidation characteristics at the molecular level has not yet been thoroughly investigated. It is partly because hydrogen still holds many mysteries, and further research findings and data are needed before it can be used in clinical treatment.

    The use of hydrogen to cure or prevent diseases is a medical practice that must be carried out in hospitals or medical institutions under the supervision of a certified doctor. Experts do not advise to expect that hydrogen absorption may treat all diseases and to try sucking hydrogen or drinking hydrogen-rich water.