Sodium Bicarbonate Loading

Sodium Bicarbonate Loading
High-Intensity Exercise Boost
3/31/2009
Kyle Ruth
Sodium Bicarbonate Loading

What is it?

Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO₃ ), more commonly known as Baking Soda, is a naturally occurring substance that is produced by the body. Sodium Bicarbonate is an antacid and acid buffer which counteracts the effects of acid production in the body.

What does it do?

Sodium Bicarbonate has been shown in clinical studies to:

Delay muscle fatigue ^(1)(2)(3)

Reduce Lactic Acid Concentration ⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾

Increase Power Output^(1)(2)(3)

Increase Training Volume⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾

Improve High Intensity Interval Performance^{(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)}

How does it work?

During intense exercise (like sprinting), the environment inside your muscles cells becomes more acidic due to a build up of the metabolic byproducts lactic acid (lactate) and hydrogen ions (H⁺). This acidic muscle environment prevents further energy production. Therefore, to maintain exercise intensity, H⁺and lactate must be transported from the muscle into the blood stream. As the concentration of lactate and H⁺ increases in the blood the rate of transport decreases resulting in what we know as fatigue.

Sodium bicarbonate supplementation allows an athlete to maintain a less acidic blood environment during intense exercise. This promotes the continued transport of lactate and H⁺out of muscle cells resulting in improved exercise performance. Essentially, athletes would feel less burn during high-intensity exercise.

Who should take it?

Athletes who compete in events that last more than 60 seconds and less than 15 minutes have benefited from bicarbonate loading ^(1)(2)(3). Additionally athletes who compete in team sports that involve repeated sprints like soccer or high-intensity interval training like track and swimming ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾.

Issues

Ingestion of the quantity of sodium bicarbonate necessary to improve exercise performance (0.3g/kg of body weight) has been shown in clinical research to cause gastrointestinal issues ranging from bloating to severe diarrhea ^{(1) (2)}. The gastrointestinal side-effects of sodium bicarbonate loading vary by individual with many people reporting no issues ⁽¹⁾. With this knowledge athletes, coaches, and researchers have developed different loading and ingestion methods to help athletes avoid gastrointestinal issues.

How do I use it?

There are currently three methods of bicarbonate loading that have resulted in improved high-intensity exercise performance; acute loading before a competition, serial loading (multi-day) before a competition, and serial loading during training. Each bicarbonate loading method has unique benefits and drawbacks outlined below. Sodium bicarbonate can be ingested as a powder (baking soda) or put into capsules. Research has shown that drinking 1-2 liters of water with a sodium bicarbonate dose dramatically reduces gastrointestinal symptoms ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾.

Acute Loading

Acute sodium bicarbonate loading involves the ingestion of 0.3-0.5g of sodium bicarbonate per kg of body weight, 1-2 hours before a competition. Acute loading has the most research to support its effectiveness but when compared to serial loading, the effects were not as impressive ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾. Acute loading is also associated with highest incidence of gastrointestinal distress ⁽¹⁾. That being said, acute loading is probably ideal for those unfamiliar with sodium bicarbonate supplementation.

Serial Loading (pre-competition)

Serial sodium bicarbonate loading pre-competition involves the ingestion of larger doses of sodium bicarbonate spaced throughout the days preceding a competition. Specifically researchers have shown that 0.4-0.5g of sodium bicarbonate ingested for 3-5 days before a competition resulted in greater improvements in high-intensity exercise performance than acute loading ⁽³⁾. Furthermore, the benefits of serial sodium bicarbonate loading are present up to 24 hours after the final dose, so there is no need to supplement with bicarbonate the day of competition ⁽¹⁾⁽³⁾. In addition to greater performance improvements, serial sodium bicarbonate loading lowers the incidence of gastrointestinal issues by allowing athletes to ingest smaller servings more frequently ⁽¹⁾.

Serial Loading (training)

Serial sodium bicarbonate loading to improve training is the most recent loading variation ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾. Unlike acute and serial pre-competition loading, serial loading for training has limited research to support its effectiveness. This is not a result of conflicting studies or a lack of effect demonstrated in the research, rather it reflects the lack of research conducted on serial loading during training ⁽⁴⁾.

Serial sodium bicarbonate loading during training has been shown to improve lactate threshold (a power output that can be held without producing large increases in blood lactate – a measure of endurance capacity) and time to fatigue during a cycling time trial ⁽³⁾. Interestingly, the researchers who conducted the study noted increases in the training intensity for the supplementation group. They believe that this increase in training intensity was responsible for the improvements seen in the supplementation group not the supplementation itself ⁽⁴⁾.

Loading Method

Dose (with 1-2L of water)

Proximity and Duration

Pros

Cons

Acute Loading

0.3g to 0.5g / kg bodyweight

1-2 hours before competition

Most research. Easy to try, can be used at smaller local competitions to determine gastrointestinal response

Highest probability of gastrointestinal complications. Not as effective as serial loading.

Serial Loading (pre-competition)

0.4 to 0.5g / kg bodyweight divided into 4-6 smaller doses / day

3-5 days before competition

More effective than acute loading. Reduces chances of gastrointestinal complications

A 160lb athlete would need to consume 36g of sodium bicarbonate every day for 3-5 days.

Serial Loading (training)

0.2 to 0.4g / kg bodyweight divided into 2-3 smaller doses before training

3-4 days/week maximum

Potential for dramatic improvements without the hassle of loading during competition

Lack of research limits the accuracy of these recommendations

References:

1. Antonio, Jose. Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements. Humana Press, 2008.

2. Baechle, Thomas and Earle, Roger. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2008.

3. Burke, L. and Pyne, D. Bicarbonate loading to enhance training and competitive performance. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2007 2: 93-97.

4. Edge, J., Bishop D., and Goodman, C. Effects of chronic NaHCO₃ ingestion during interval training on changes to muscle buffer capacity, metabolism, and short-term endurance performance. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2006, 101: 918-925.

5. Mero, A., Keskinen, K., Malvela, M., and Sallinen, J. Combined creatine and sodium bicarbonate supplementation enhances interval swimming. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2004, 18(2): 306-310.

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