Does hydrogel technology actually work for sodium bicarbonate? 🧐
Does this justify the cost.
Effects of a sodium bicarbonate hydrogel supplement on gastrointestinal symptoms and performance during high-intensity running
Study Details
This new study recruited 15 recreational runners to complete three exercise trials consisting of 20 cycling intervals and 800m time trial 🚴
Prior to trials participants consumed either…
1️⃣ sodium bicarbonate capsules (0.3 g/kg)
2️⃣ sodium bicarbonate hydrogel (0.3 g/kg)
3️⃣ placebo
Supplements were consumed 90-min prior to exercise ⏱️
Lactate responses, gastrointestinal symptoms and performance were assessed 🔍
Key Findings
🩸 Lactate responses were similar between capsules and hydrogel
😮💨 GI symptoms were elevated with capsules at post-supplementation and at multiple exercise timepoints
👉 Whereas GI symptoms did not significantly increase with hydrogel or when compared to placebo
❌ No differences in time trial performance were observed between placebo, capsules or hydrogel
Conclusion
Hydrogel technology does appear to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms vs standard capsules ✅
Other effects are similar 🤷♂️
Reference
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44410-026-00027-9
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