When is water more than hydrogen and oxygen? When its got even more hydrogen than other wet stuff! According to Company Founder Gail Levy, HFactor can be your best defense against hangovers, jet lag and even chemotherapy. What makes HFactor better than regular tap or bottled water? In hydrogen infused water, molecular hydrogen gas (H2) is dissolved into water creating active diatomic hydrogen molecules that are accessible to the body, according to Levy. The idea isn’t totally new. Japanese consumers have been swigging similar drinks for years.
 
 
Levy got the idea for HFactor in 2013 following the death of a close friend from cancer. Six months after her death, another friend who played professional basketball told her about the benefits of molecular hydrogen for athletes. Levy says hundreds of independent studies conclude that molecular hydrogen improves athletic performance and recovery, boosts energy levels, and reduces the effects of jet lag, hangovers, allergies, skin irritation, inflammation and circulation.
 
 
With all that going for it, HFactor may find a willing audience. According to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), last year bottled water surpassed carbonated soft drinks to become the largest beverage category by volume in the US.


According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC), total bottled water volume grew from 11.8 billion gallons in 2015 to 12.8 billion gallons in 2016, an increase of nearly 9%. This marked the third year in a row of accelerating growth.
 
 
Clearly, the continued increase in per capita consumption indicates that consumers consider bottled water as a healthy alternative to other packaged beverages. Consistent with this view, sales revenues for the US bottled water market in 2016 were nearly $16 billion in wholesale dollars, a 7.4% increase over the previous year. Moreover, nearly all of the bottled water sold in the US is sourced domestically. In fact, imported bottled water accounts for only 1% of the US market, according to IBWA.
 
 
After three years of R&D and the development of a patent-pending process, HFactor made its debut. Most recently, in May, it grabbed a spot at the Wellery in Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store. HFactor is also available through Amazon, GNC, 7-11, airports, and more. Individual Hydro-Packs retail for $3, but consumers can also choose home delivery of 6-, 12- and 24-packs.
 
 
“This is not just for athletes, but good for headaches and hangovers” said Levy, “It helps cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.”
 
 
Levy traveled the globe while researching the best method of delivery. The goal was simplicity, natural ingredients and a long shelf life to preserve the full benefits of the product.
 
 
“We faced challenges” recalled Levy while trying to formulate her product, but eventually found success.
 
 
Besides HFactor being good for the body, the packaging is good for the environment. Levy’s goal was to “not be just another one in a sea of plastic containers.” The water’s packaging is flexible and BPA-free. A new cap design prevents hydrogen from leaving the bottle.
 
 
This low carbon footprint bottle has won numerous awards such as the World Beverage Innovation Award for Best Packaged Water.
 
 
“I really urge people to go out and do the research and see for yourself how it helps the everyday person” Said Gail, “Over several hundred research institutes prove the benefits.”
 
 
Infused waters are big, bottled waters are bigger, but they’ve got a long way to go before challenging good old tap water. According to IBWA, the US public water systems supply more than 1 billion gallons of tap water an hour, every hour of the day. The association notes that the total amount of bottled water Americans buy in one year would only supply US tap water needs from midnight until 9 a.m. on January 1.