title: Effect of beta-alanine, with and without sodium bicarbonate, on 2000-m rowing performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of beta-alanine only and beta-alanine with sodium bicarbonate supplementation on 2,000-m rowing performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty well-trained rowers (age 23 ± 4 y; height 1.85 ± 0.08 m; body mass 82.5 ± 8.9 kg) were assigned to either a placebo or beta-alanine (6.4 g · d(-1) for 4 weeks) group. A 2,000-m rowing time trial (TT) was performed before supplementation (Baseline) and after 28 and 30 days of supplementation. The post supplementation trials involved supplementation with either maltodextrin or sodium bicarbonate in a double-blind, crossover design, creating four study conditions (placebo with maltodextrin; placebo with sodium bicarbonate; beta-alanine with maltodextrin; beta-alanine with sodium bicarbonate). Blood lactate, pH, bicarbonate, and base excess were measured pre-TT, immediately post-TT and at TT+5 min. Performance data were analyzed using magnitude based inferences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Beta-alanine supplementation was very likely to be beneficial to 2,000-m rowing performance (6.4 ± 8.1 s effect compared with placebo), with the effect of sodium bicarbonate having a likely benefit (3.2 ± 8.8 s). There was a small (1.1 ± 5.6 s) but possibly beneficial additional effect when combining chronic beta-alanine supplementation with acute sodium bicarbonate supplementation compared with chronic beta-alanine supplementation alone. Sodium bicarbonate ingestion led to increases in plasma pH, base excess, bicarbonate, and lactate concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both chronic beta-alanine and acute sodium bicarbonate supplementation alone had positive effects on 2,000-m rowing performance. The addition of acute sodium bicarbonate to chronic beta-alanine supplementation may further enhance rowing performance.
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hobson
authors.forename: Roger C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Macklin
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gualano
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects*; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D015091:beta-Alanine; D019344:Lactic Acid; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate