title: Effects of chronic bicarbonate ingestion on the performance of high-intensity work.
abstract: We have evaluated whether sodium bicarbonate, taken chronically (0.5 g x kg(-1) body mass) for a period of 5 days would improve the performance of eight subjects during 60 s of high-intensity exercise on an electrically braked cycle ergometer. The first test was performed prior to chronic supplementation (pre-ingestion) while the post-ingestion test took place 6 days later. A control test took place approximately 1 month after the cessation of all testing. Acid-base and metabolite data (n = 7) were measured from arterialised blood both pre- and post-exercise, as well as daily throughout the exercise period. The work completed by the subjects in the control and pre-ingestion test [21.1 (0.9) and 21.1 (0.9) MJ, respectively] was less than (P<0.05) that completed in the post-ingestion test [24.1 (0.9) MJ; F(2,21) = 3.4, P<0.05, power = 0.57]. Peak power was higher after the 5-day supplementation period (P<0.05). Ingestion of the sodium bicarbonate for a period of 5 days resulted in an increase in pH (F(5,36) = 12.5, P<0.0001, power = 1.0) over the 5-day period. The blood bicarbonate levels also rose during the trial (P<0.05) from a resting level of 22.8 (0.4) to 28.4 (1.1) mmol x l(-1) after 24 h of ingestion. In conclusion, the addition of sodium bicarbonate to a normal diet proved to be of ergogenic benefit in the performance of short-term, high-intensity work.
authors.affiliation: Sports Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McNaughton
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Backx
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strange
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D004573:Electrolytes; D019344:Lactic Acid