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Cited by 26Sports Performance and TrainingSport Psychology and PerformanceThermoregulation and physiological responses

Sodium bicarbonate supplementation does not improve elite women's team sport running or field hockey skill performance

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Macutkiewicz, David, Sunderland, Caroline·2018·Physiological Reports
DOI 10.14814/phy2.13818PMC PMC6186818
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Abstract

Team sports, such as field hockey, incorporate high-intensity repeated sprints, interspersed with low-intensity running, which can result in acidosis. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of acute sodium bicarbonate (SB) supplementation on team sport running and skill performance. Eight elite female field hockey players (age 23 ± 5 years, body mass 62.6 ± 8.4 kg, height 1.66 ± 0.05 m) completed three Field Hockey Skill Tests (FHST) interspersed with four sets of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST). Prior to exercise, participants were supplemented with capsules equivalent to 0.2 g·kg−1 body mass (BM) of a placebo (maltodextrin) or 0.3 g·kg−1 BM SB. Field hockey skill performance incorporated overall performance time (PFT), movement time (MT), decision-making time (DMT), and penalty time (PT). Sprint time (ST), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate concentration, bicarbonate anion () concentration, pH, and base excess were measured at various time points. Data (mean ± SD) were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures, with Hedges g effect sizes used to interpret the magnitude of differences. Bicarbonate anion concentration (+5.4 ± 2.6 mmol·L−1) and pH (+0.06 ± 0.03) were greater during the bicarbonate trial compared with the placebo (P < 0.001). Bicarbonate did not alter PFT (placebo: 87.9 ± 6.9 sec; bicarbonate: 89.0 ± 7.8 sec, P = 0.544, g = 0.14), MT, DMT, PT (all P > 0.30) or ST (placebo: 2.87 ± 0.12 sec; bicarbonate: 2.86 ± 0.12 sec, P = 0.893, g = −0.08). RPE was lower during the SB condition (placebo: 13 ± 2; bicarbonate: 12 ± 2, P = 0.021, g = −0.41). Acute ingestion of bicarbonate did not improve sprint or sport-specific skill performance. Bicarbonate ingestion did result in a lower perception of effort during team-sport running, which may have performance implications in a competitive match situation.

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Authors
Macutkiewicz, D., & Sunderland, C.
Affiliations
Nottingham Trent University (GB)
Corresponding author
Sunderland, Caroline
ORCID
Sunderland, Caroline
Venue
Physiological Reports
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-09
Volume
6
Issue
19
Pages
e13818
ISSN
2051-817X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.14814/phy2.13818
PMC
PMC6186818
OpenAlex
W2896087999
Cited by
26
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1
FWCI
3.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Physiological Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Thermoregulation and physiological responses
Keywords
sodium bicarbonate supplementation, field hockey, skill performance, repeated sprint performance, exercise-induced acidosis, blood lactate, rating of perceived exertion, female athletes, Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test, base excess, blood pH, maltodextrin placebo, decision-making
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Female, Hockey, Humans, Running, Sodium Bicarbonate, Dietary Supplements, Athletic Performance, Young Adult, Athletes

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