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Cited by 74Sports Performance and TrainingCardiovascular and exercise physiologyMuscle metabolism and nutrition

Sodium bicarbonate intake improves high-intensity intermittent exercise performance in trained young men

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Krustrup, Peter, Ermidis, Georgios, Mohr, Magni·2015·Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
DOI 10.1186/s12970-015-0087-6PMC PMC4475610
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sodium bicarbonate intake has been shown to improve exercise tolerance, but the effects on high-intensity intermittent exercise are less clear. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of sodium bicarbonate intake on Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 performance in trained young men. METHOD: Thirteen men aged 23 ± 1 year (height: 180 ± 2 cm, weight: 78 ± 3 kg; VO2max: 61.3 ± 3.3 mlO2 · kg(-1) · min(-1); means ± SEM) performed the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) on two separate occasions in randomized order with (SBC) and without (CON) prior intake of sodium bicarbonate (0.4 g · kg(-1) body weight). Heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during the test and venous blood samples were taken frequently. RESULTS: Yo-Yo IR2 performance was 14 % higher (P = 0.04) in SBC than in CON (735 ± 61 vs 646 ± 46 m, respectively). Blood pH and bicarbonate were similar between trials at baseline, but higher (P = 0.003) immediately prior to the Yo-Yo IR2 test in SBC than in CON (7.44 ± 0.01 vs 7.32 ± 0.01 and 33.7 ± 3.2 vs 27.3 ± 0.6 mmol · l(-1), respectively). Blood lactate was 0.9 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.1 mmol · l(-1) at baseline and increased to 11.3 ± 1.4 and 9.4 ± 0.8 mmol · l(-1) at exhaustion in SBC and CON, respectively, being higher (P = 0.03) in SBC. Additionally, peak blood lactate was higher (P = 0.02) in SBC than in CON (11.7 ± 1.2 vs 10.2 ± 0.7 mmol · l(-1)). Blood glucose, plasma K(+) and Na(+) were not different between trials. Peak heart rate reached at exhaustion was 197 ± 3 and 195 ± 3 bpm in SBC and CON, respectively, with no difference between conditions. RPE was 7% lower (P = 0.003) in SBC than in CON after 440 m, but similar at exhaustion (19.3 ± 0.2 and 19.5 ± 0.2). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, high-intensity intermittent exercise performance is improved by prior intake of sodium bicarbonate in trained young men, with concomitant elevations in blood alkalosis and peak blood lactate levels, as well as lowered rating of perceived exertion.

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  • A controlled, crossover, randomized study with 12 soccer players found that 6 mg/kg BW caffeine 1 h before the test improved time to hit a penalty and countermovement jump performance.

    “A controlled, crossover, randomized study with 12 soccer players evaluated 6 mg kg -1 BW caffeine 1 h before the test and found improvements in time to hit a penalty and performance in the countermovement jump [17].”

    From Dietary and Ergogenic Supplementation to Improve Elite Soccer Players’ Performance (2021) · cites this paper as [17]

    The Methods (Design and Supplementation; page unavailable) describe a randomized crossover test of sodium bicarbonate versus no supplement, not caffeine; participants were instructed to avoid caffeine before testing. The measured performance outcome was the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test, not penalty-hit time or countermovement jumps. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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Authors
Krustrup, P., Ermidis, G., & Mohr, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Democrite University of Thrace 69100 Komotini Greece
  • University of the Faroe Islands (FO)
Corresponding author
Mohr, Magni
ORCID
Venue
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2015-10-20
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
25-25
ISSN
1550-2783 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12970-015-0087-6
PMC
PMC4475610
OpenAlex
W2110813619
Cited by
74
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2
FWCI
8.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
Keywords
sodium bicarbonate supplementation, high-intensity intermittent exercise, blood lactate, blood pH, bicarbonate, exercise performance, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, blood glucose, plasma potassium, plasma sodium, exercise tolerance, buffering capacity, anaerobic capacity
MeSH terms
Alkalosis, Blood Glucose, Body Weight, Physical Exertion, Fatigue, Heart Rate, Humans, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Male, Physical Endurance, Potassium, Sodium, Single-Blind Method, Sodium Bicarbonate, Cross-Over Studies, Lactic Acid, Young Adult

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