Common questions and misconceptions of sodium bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid: what does the science really show?
Study Details
This new review by the ISSN aimed to provide scientific clarity on sodium bicarbonate use for performance 🔍
Here are the 13 key takeaway messages ⬇️
Key Findings
⚡ Sodium bicarbonate improves buffering outside muscle cells, helping move acid out of working muscles and maintain high-intensity performance
⏱️ Benefits are most consistent for efforts lasting around 30 seconds–10 minutes, with smaller benefits for shorter efforts and emerging evidence for longer exercise
🤢 Stomach upset is more common at doses ≥0.3 g/kg body mass and with non-gastro-resistant forms, so formulation matters for tolerance and practical use
🕒 Taking it 60–120 minutes before exercise can be effective, although the best timing varies between individuals
🔄 It may support recovery between repeated efforts by restoring blood acid–base balance, particularly when sufficient recovery time is available between heats or finals
🧪 Competition-day use may help without prior supplementation, but testing it during training is recommended to establish a suitable dose, timing and formulation
💪 It may reduce fatigue and improve performance in cycling, running, swimming and rowing, although findings vary across studies and sports
📈 Repeated use during training may support adaptations, but evidence remains preliminary and further research is needed
🏔️ Potential applications exist in heat and at altitude, although performance benefits in these environments remain unclear
🧂 A dose of 0.3 g/kg provides around 5.75 g of sodium for a 70 kg athlete, which may cause problems for some individuals, while effects on blood pressure remain uncertain
🤝 Beta-alanine increases buffering inside muscle cells through gradual carnosine loading, while sodium bicarbonate acutely increases buffering outside cells
🧠 Placebo effects appear to contribute to performance benefits and may partly explain differences in individual responses
👩 Performance benefits have been observed in males and females, but research remains dominated by male participants
Reference
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2026.2724103
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