Reliability and Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate: Buffering and 2000-m Rowing Performance
Abstract
Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the effect and reliability of acute and chronic sodium bicarbonate ingestion for 2000-m rowing ergometer performance (watts) and blood bicarbonate concentration [HCO3-]. Methods In a crossover study, 7 well-trained rowers performed paired 2000-m rowing ergometer trials under 3 double-blinded conditions: (1) 0.3 grams per kilogram of body mass (g/kg BM) acute bicarbonate; (2) 0.5 g/kg BM daily chronic bicarbonate for 3 d; and (3) calcium carbonate placebo, in semi-counterbalanced order. For 2000-m performance and [HCO3-], we examined differences in effects between conditions via pairwise comparisons, with differences interpreted in relation to the likelihood of exceeding smallest worthwhile change thresholds for each variable. We also calculated the within-subject variation (percent typical error). Results There were only trivial differences in 2000-m performance between placebo (277 ± 60 W), acute bicarbonate (280 ± 65 W) and chronic bicarbonate (282 ± 65 W); however, [HCO3-] was substantially greater after acute bicarbonate, than with chronic loading and placebo. Typical error for 2000-m mean power was 2.1% (90% confidence interval 1.4 to 4.0%) for acute bicarbonate, 3.6% (2.5 to 7.0%) for chronic bicarbonate, and 1.6% (1.1 to 3.0%) for placebo. Postsupplementation [HCO3-] typical error was 7.3% (5.0 to 14.5%) for acute bicarbonate, 2.9% (2.0 to 5.7%) for chronic bicarbonate and 6.0% (1.4 to 11.9%) for placebo. Conclusion Perfor…
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All other acute-versus-chronic studies solely used total counts of symptoms and their severity scores (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022; Aktitiz et al. 2024).
“Otherwise, all other studies solely used total counts of symptoms and their severity scores (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022; Aktitiz et al. 2024).”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
Carr et al. 2012 and Driller et al. 2012 used greater daily doses in the chronic conditions compared to acute conditions: 0.5 g/kg/day vs. 0.3 g/kg and 0.4 g/kg/day vs. 0.3 g/kg, respectively.
“(Carr et al. 2012) and (Driller et al. 2012) used greater daily doses in the chronic conditions compared to acute conditions. These were 0.5 g/kg/day (vs. 0.3 g/kg in acute) and 0.4 g/kg/day (vs. 0.3 g/kg in acute), respectively.”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
Three of the five acute-versus-chronic investigations provided sodium bicarbonate in capsules (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Joyce et al. 2012), while another described the treatments as 'enteric-coated' but did not specify if they were capsules or tablets (Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022).
“Three of these investigations provided sodium bicarbonate in capsules (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Joyce et al. 2012), while another one described the treatments as “enteric‐coated” but did not specify if they were capsules or tablets (Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022).”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
Two of five acute-versus-chronic investigations only quantified GIS on the day of exercise testing despite employing chronic supplementation (Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022).
“Two of five investigations only quantified GIS on the day of exercise testing despite employing chronic supplementation (Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022).”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
Chronic sodium bicarbonate doses in the acute-versus-chronic studies were most commonly administered over 3 days (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Joyce et al. 2012), though four-day (Aktitiz et al. 2024) and five-day (Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022) protocols were present.
“Chronic doses were most commonly administered over 3 days (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Joyce et al. 2012), though four‐day (Aktitiz et al. 2024) and five‐day (Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022) protocols were present.”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
Three out of five acute-versus-chronic studies used a 10-point scale to determine severity of GIS (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022), while one used an 11-point scale (Aktitiz et al. 2024) and another a five-point scale (Joyce et al. 2012).
“Three out of five studies used a 10‐point scale to determine severity of GIS (Driller et al. 2012; Carr et al. 2012; Zhou, Fan, Kong, et al. 2022), while one used an 11‐point scale (Aktitiz et al. 2024) and another a five‐point scale (Joyce et al. 2012).”
From Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated With Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation Protocols: A Systematic Review (2026) · cites this paper as Carr et al. 2012
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- Authors
- Carr, A. J., Slater, G. J., Gore, C. J., Dawson, B., & Burke, L. M.
- Affiliations
- University of the Sunshine Coast (AU)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Venue
- International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2012-06
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 152-160
- ISSN
- 1555-0265 (ISSN-L)
- 1555-0273
- OpenAlex
- W2101238281
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- sodium bicarbonate, buffering, rowing performance, blood bicarbonate, acute supplementation, chronic supplementation, performance reliability, typical error, smallest worthwhile change, rowers
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Adolescent, Adult, Alkalosis, Buffers, Capsules, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Male, Physical Endurance, Placebos, Time Factors, Reproducibility of Results, Treatment Outcome, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cross-Over Studies, Dietary Supplements, Athletic Performance, Young Adult
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