The effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation at individual time-to-peak blood bicarbonate on 4-km cycling time trial performance in the heat.
Eur J Sport Sci
; 22(12): 1856-1864, 2022 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34704539
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of individualised sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation according to a pre-established individual time-to-peak (TTP) blood bicarbonate (HCO3-) on 4-km cycling time trial (TT) performance in the heat. Eleven recreationally trained male cyclists (age 28 ± 6 years, height 180 ± 6â
cm, body mass 80.5 ± 8.4â
kg) volunteered for this study in a randomised, crossover, triple-blind, placebo-controlled design. An initial visit was conducted to determine TTP HCO3- following 0.2â
g.kg-1 body mass (BM) NaHCO3 ingestion. Subsequently, on three separate occasions, participants completed a 4-km cycling TT in the heat (30 degrees centigrade; °C) (relative humidity â¼40%) following ingestion of either NaHCO3 (0.2â
g.kg-1 body mass), a sodium chloride placebo (0.2â
g.kg-1 BM; PLA) at the predetermined individual TTP HCO3-, or no supplementation (control; CON) . Absolute peak [HCO3-] prior to the 4-km cycling TT's was elevated for NaHCO3 compared to PLA (+2.8â
mmol.l-1; p = 0.002; g = 2.2) and CON (+2.5â
mmol.l-1; p < 0.001; g = 2.1). Completion time following NaHCO3 was 5.6 ± 3.2â
s faster than PLA (1.6%; CI 2.8, 8.3; p = 0.001; g = 0.2) and 4.7 ± 2.8â
s faster than CON (1.3%; CI 2.3, 7.1; p = 0.001; g = 0.2). These results demonstrate that NaHCO3 ingestion at a pre-established individual TTP HCO3- improves 4-km cycling TT performance in the heat, likely through enhancing buffering capacity.Highlights This is the first time NaHCO3 ingestion has been shown to improve 4-km cycling TT performance in conditions of high ambient heat.A smaller dose of NaHCO3 (0.2â
g.kg-1 BM) is ergogenic in the heat, which is smaller than the dose typically ingested for sports performance (0.3â
g.kg-1 BM). This is important, as gastrointestinal discomfort is typically lower as the dose reduces.This study suggests that the individualised time-to-peak HCO3- ingestion strategy with lower doses of NaHCO3 is an ergogenic strategy in conditions of high ambient heat.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sodium Bicarbonate
/
Athletic Performance
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Eur J Sport Sci
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom