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Cited by 8Sports Performance and TrainingMuscle metabolism and nutritionCardiovascular and exercise physiology

Acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate has negligible effect on anaerobic performance but affects metabolomics and attenuates the gastrointestinal response

Open access
Zhou, Nihong, Fan, Yongzhao, Wang, Xiangyu, Wang, Junde, Wu, Hao·2022·Frontiers in Physiology
DOI 10.3389/fphys.2022.996381PMC PMC9606751
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Abstract

Sodium bicarbonate ingestion before exercise has a performance-enhancing effect on high-intensity exercise. However, gastrointestinal symptoms can be a problematic side-effect. Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate can attenuate gastrointestinal symptoms following acute bicarbonate loading. In addition, the subsequent effects on exercise performance and metabolomics have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate supplementation on the anaerobic performance, physiological profile, and symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort after severe-intensity intermittent exercise. At the same time, targeted metabolomics was used to study the changes in urine metabolism after ingestion of enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and to explore the characteristics of biological metabolism. In a randomized crossover design, twelve male college students completed four Wingate anaerobic 30-s cycling tests (WACT) after consuming a placebo (PL) and two experimental conditions: 0.2 g/kg body mass in enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate pills (ES) or general sodium bicarbonate pills (GS). Blood lactate (BLA), heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and gastrointestinal–symptoms assessment questionnaire (GSAQ) were measured pre-exercise and post-exercise. In contrast, mean power (MP) and peak power (PP) were recorded immediately post-exercise. Urine samples were collected before formal tests and 50 min after the third WACT. Our findings indicate the following: 1) mean power and peak power showed no significant difference among conditions (MP: F 2.0, 33 = 0.541, p = 0.587, η 2 = 0.032; PP: F 2.0, 33 = 0.526, p = 0.596, η 2 = 0.031). The PP decline of the ES and GS after the third WACT was lower than that of the PL; 2) There were no significant differences in physiological responses, such as BLA (F 2.0, 33.0 = 0.191, p = 0.827, η 2 = 0.011) and heart rate (F 2, 33 = 0.418, p = 0.662, η 2 = 0.025), between the three conditions. Although blood lactate concentration after 10 min of the third WACT was lower with ES and GS than with placebo; 3) Fewer participants experienced gastrointestinal symptoms with enteric-coated than with general sodium bicarbonate; 4) The metabolites with differences among the three conditions 50 min after exercise were 3-phospho-d-glycerate, d-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, cis-aconitate, oxaloacetate, and citrate. ES had higher levels of 3-phospho-d-glycerate, d-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, and cis-aconitate than GS. The 3-phospho-d-glycerate, d-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, and cis-aconitate levels in GS were significantly lower than in PL. In contrast, the citrate level in GS was significantly higher than that in other experimental conditions. Compared to PL, the level of oxaloacetate was higher after exercise in ES. This data suggests that supplementation of enteric-coated and general sodium bicarbonate before exercise can alter energy metabolism following anaerobic exercise, involving the metabolism of 3-phospho-d-glycerate, D-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, cis-aconitate, oxaloacetate, citrate, and lactate. However, they do not affect anaerobic performance and blood lactate. The supplementation of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate can enhance some of the weak effects of blood lactate clearance during anaerobic exercise, which may be beneficial for glycolytic energy supply. In addition, enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate intake mitigates gastrointestinal symptoms compared to general sodium bicarbonate.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate (ES) and general sodium bicarbonate (GS) at 0.2 g/kg did not significantly improve anaerobic performance or blood lactate during repeated Wingate tests in healthy young men, but altered urinary energy metabolites. ES attenuated gastrointestinal symptoms compared with GS.

Key findings

  • Performance was not significantly different among ES, GS, and placebo: mean power F2.0,33 = 0.541, p = 0.587, η2 = 0.032; peak power F2.0,33 = 0.526, p = 0.596, η2 = 0.031. The fourth WACT mean power was ES = 634.36 ± 57.21 W, GS = 611.74 ± 40.32 W, PL = 595.40 ± 63.37 W (p > 0.05), and fourth WACT peak power was ES = 1011.31 ± 139.76 W, GS = 985.18 ± 118.40 W, PL = 914.53 ± 146.75 W (p > 0.05).
  • Blood lactate, heart rate, and RPE did not differ significantly between conditions: BLA F2.0,33.0 = 0.191, p = 0.827, η2 = 0.011; HR F2,33 = 0.418, p = 0.662, η2 = 0.025; RPE F2.0,33.0 = 0.362, p = 0.699, η2 = 0.021. BLA after 20 min of the third WACT was ES = 10.59 ± 2.03 mmol/L, GS = 10.48 ± 1.96 mmol/L, PL = 11.22 ± 1.39 mmol/L (p > 0.05).
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms were fewer with ES than GS: two participants in ES and two in PL reported mild side effects, while seven participants in GS reported obvious side effects; three participants experienced serious GI effects after GS and failed to complete the entire experiment.
  • Urinary metabolites differed 50 min after exercise. ES had higher 3-phospho-d-glycerate (p < 0.001), d-Glucose 6-phosphate (p < 0.001), pyruvate (p < 0.05), and cis-aconitate (p < 0.01) than GS. GS had lower 3-phospho-d-glycerate (p < 0.01), d-Glucose 6-phosphate (p < 0.01), pyruvate (p < 0.05), and cis-aconitate (p < 0.05) than PL, while citrate in GS was higher than ES (p < 0.05) and PL (p < 0.001). Oxaloacetate was higher after exercise in ES than PL (p < 0.05).

Methods

  • Randomized crossover design with 12 healthy college-aged men who completed the study (15 participated, 3 failed to complete). Conditions were placebo (PL), enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate (ES), and general sodium bicarbonate (GS), each at 0.2 g/kg body mass; ES and PL were ingested 180 min before testing and GS 90 min before testing, with at least 7 days between trials.
  • Participants performed four Wingate anaerobic 30-s cycling tests (WACT) with 5-min intervals between the first three, then a 50-min recovery before the fourth WACT. Measurements included mean power, peak power, blood lactate, heart rate, RPE, gastrointestinal-symptoms assessment questionnaire, and urine sampling before warm-up and 50 min after the third WACT.
  • Targeted urine metabolomics used MRM-based analysis covering tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolytic, and oxidative phosphorylation metabolites. Statistical analysis used repeated-measures ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05, after Shapiro-Wilk normality testing.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the study employed a limited sample of solely healthy young males, limiting generalizability to other demographics.
  • Evident from the text: three participants failed to complete the entire trial after serious gastrointestinal effects from general sodium bicarbonate, reducing the analyzed sample to 12.
  • Evident from the text: many performance and physiological comparisons were non-significant with small effect sizes, and the study did not demonstrate significant anaerobic performance improvement despite some non-significant trends favoring ES and GS.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3389/fphys.2022.996381

Cites

65 of 66 references verified1 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

17 of 42 cited sources checked · 7 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Premisecitation

    Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate can attenuate gastrointestinal symptoms following acute bicarbonate loading.

    “Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate can attenuate gastrointestinal symptoms following acute bicarbonate loading.”
    • Also stated in: § Introduction · plain
      “Some studies have reported that enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate can attenuate gastrointestinal symptoms following acute bicarbonate loading on aerobic exercise performance have been investigated (Hilton et al., 2020).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hilton et al., 2020 source
  • Premisecitation

    The accumulation of CO2 in the stomach, resulting from supplementation with sodium bicarbonate, may cause bloating, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

    “The accumulation of CO2 in the stomach, resulting from supplementation with sodium bicarbonate, may cause bloating, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain (Kahle et al., 2013).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Kahle et al., 2013 source

      The Abstract reports bloating and nausea after sodium bicarbonate loading, and the Methods list vomiting and cramping among symptoms participants were asked to report. However, the Discussion says the reason for gastrointestinal distress is unclear and does not attribute it to CO2 accumulating in the stomach; the supplied results also do not establish vomiting or abdominal pain as observed outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Premisecitation

    General sodium bicarbonate can adversely affect GI comfort.

    “Previous studies have suggested that general sodium bicarbonate can adversely affect GI comfort (Cameron et al., 2010; Carr et al., 2011; Saunders et al., 2014).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Cameron et al., 2010 source
    • cites Carr et al., 2011 source
    • cites Saunders et al., 2014 source
  • Premisecitation

    Enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate is a possible strategy to minimize the likelihood and severity of these side effects.

    “More recent evidence suggests that enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate is a possible strategy to minimize the likelihood and severity of these side effects (Hilton et al., 2020).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Hilton et al., 2020 source
  • Premisecitation

    Both greater muscle buffering capacity and enhanced removal of protons result in increased glycolytic ATP production.

    “It appears that both greater muscle buffering capacity and enhanced removal of protons result in increased glycolytic ATP production (Chycki et al., 2018).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Chycki et al., 2018 source

      The Discussion (Anaerobic performance; page unavailable) links buffering and enhanced lactate/H+ efflux to improved anaerobic performance, and notes that anaerobic glycolysis provides ATP. It does not establish that these mechanisms increased glycolytic ATP production; the study reports performance and blood acid–base measures, not ATP production or a measured increase in muscle buffering capacity. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • May combine two claims. 17
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 25
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Since GI distress during sodium bicarbonate application may be partly attributable to degradation in the stomach, enteric coating can reduce the neutralizing effect of gastric acid and largely reduce side effects.

    “Since GI distress during sodium bicarbonate application may be partly attributable to degradation in the stomach (Turnberg et al., 1970), enteric coating can reduce the neutralizing effect of gastric acid and largely reduce side effects.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Turnberg et al., 1970 source

      The Methods section says the researchers avoided gastric-acid contamination of a jejunal perfusate; it does not discuss GI distress from oral sodium bicarbonate. Searches for stomach degradation, enteric coating, and side effects found no passage addressing the attributed claim. The cited paper therefore does not verify the proposed cause of GI distress. (LLM, conf=0.76)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    The results of exploring the performance of sodium bicarbonate on the Wingate test were found to be ambiguous.

    “However, the results of exploring the performance of sodium bicarbonate on the Wingate test were found to be ambiguous (Zabala et al., 2008; Zabala et al., 2011; Saunders et al., 2014).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Zabala et al., 2008 source
    • cites Zabala et al., 2011 source
    • cites Saunders et al., 2014 source

      The Introduction (p. 3) describes findings on sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance as equivocal, supporting the claim that results have been ambiguous. But the Experimental Design and Preliminary Testing (p. 5) specify a cycling-capacity test to exhaustion at 110% of maximum power, not a Wingate test. This paper therefore does not support the Wingate-specific attribution. (LLM, conf=0.88)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    The ergogenic effects of sodium bicarbonate are mostly established for exercise tasks of high-intensity that last between 30 s and 12 min.

    “Based on a comprehensive review of the international Society of Sports Nutrition position on sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance, the ergogenic effects of sodium bicarbonate are mostly established for exercise tasks of high-intensity that last between 30 s and 12 min (Driller et al., 2012; Mündel, 2018; Grgic et al., 2021; Grgic, 2022).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Driller et al., 2012 source
    • cites Mündel, 2018 source

      The Introduction describes sodium bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid for high-intensity anaerobic exercise, and the Abstract reports improved performance in repeated 30-second Wingate tests. The paper does not establish the claimed range extending to 12 minutes; its tested efforts lasted 30 seconds. (LLM, conf=0.88)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites Grgic et al., 2021 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Although 0.2 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate appears to be the minimum dose needed to improve exercise performance, there are still findings of gastrointestinal discomfort at this dose.

    “Although 0.2 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate appears to be the minimum dose needed to improve exercise performance, there are still findings of gastrointestinal discomfort at this dose (Gough et al., 2017).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Gough et al., 2017 source

      The Results (Effect of Treatment; page not provided) report faster 4-km time trials with 0.2 g/kg sodium bicarbonate than with the control treatment, and gastrointestinal discomfort was recorded at that dose. The study compared 0.2 with 0.3 g/kg but did not establish that 0.2 g/kg is the minimum effective dose. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S1 (asserted).

    Premisecitation

    The finding of equivocal results may have been due to the unique subject characteristics (highly trained members of national teams).

    “The researchers hypothesized that the finding may have been due to the unique subject characteristics (highly trained members of national teams) (Edge et al., 2004; Carr et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2019).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Edge et al., 2004 source
    • cites Carr et al., 2011 source
    • cites Wang et al., 2019 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Sodium bicarbonate can change the content of blood lactate.

    “Some studies have indicated that sodium bicarbonate can change the content of blood lactate (Hartono and Sukadiono, 2017; Rezaei et al., 2019).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Hartono and Sukadiono, 2017
    • cites Rezaei et al., 2019 source

      The Results > Blood lactate section reports higher blood lactate three minutes after the karate test with sodium bicarbonate than with caffeine alone. However, the overall supplement effect was not significant, and sodium bicarbonate did not differ significantly from placebo or control. The study therefore supports a change relative to caffeine, but not an unqualified effect of sodium bicarbonate on blood lactate. (LLM, conf=0.83)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Sodium bicarbonate promotes non-oxidative energy metabolism, as observed through greater muscle lactate production and muscle glycogen utilization during intermittent exercise performed in the severe-intensity domain.

    “Evidence suggests that sodium bicarbonate promotes non-oxidative energy metabolism, as observed through greater muscle lactate production and muscle glycogen utilization during intermittent exercise performed in the severe-intensity domain (Percival et al., 2015).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Percival et al., 2015 source

      The Abstract reports greater muscle glycogen utilization and blood lactate accumulation with sodium bicarbonate during high-intensity interval cycling. The Blood and Muscle Metabolites section (page not supplied) explicitly says muscle lactate was not measured in this study, so the claimed observation of greater muscle lactate production is not supported. (LLM, conf=0.88)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Power is more related to glycolytic metabolism and is limited by H+ accumulation.

    “One possible explanation for this finding is that power is more related to glycolytic metabolism and is limited by H+ accumulation (Lancha Junior et al., 2015; Lopes-Silva et al., 2019).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Lancha Junior et al., 2015 source

      The Introduction links H+ accumulation during high-intensity exercise to fatigue and says acidosis may inhibit glycolysis and reduce performance. It does not establish that power is more related to glycolytic metabolism than other energy sources, and it describes H+ as a possible contributor to fatigue rather than a definitive limit on power. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites Lopes-Silva et al., 2019 source

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Evidence suggests that athletes may be deterred from supplementing with sodium bicarbonate due to the risk of GI symptoms during training or competition.

    “Evidence suggests that athletes may be deterred from supplementing with sodium bicarbonate due to the risk of GI symptoms during training or competition (Heibel et al., 2018).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Heibel et al., 2018 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Sodium bicarbonate increases extracellular pH and promotes H+ and lactate efflux from active muscles.

    “Various studies have confirmed that sodium bicarbonate increases extracellular pH and promotes H+ and lactate efflux from active muscles (Driller et al., 2012; Rezaei et al., 2019).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Driller et al., 2012 source
    • cites Rezaei et al., 2019 source

      The Introduction (page unavailable) describes sodium bicarbonate as an extracellular buffer that helps maintain blood pH. The Discussion (page unavailable) says greater H+ and lactate efflux from working muscle has been hypothesized, not confirmed. The citing sentence overstates the certainty of that mechanism. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Analysis of acute GI discomfort in the GS indicated more cases of diarrhea, flatulence, gastrointestinal discomfort, and nausea.

    “Analysis of the circumstances of acute GI discomfort in the GS indicated more cases of diarrhea, flatulence, gastrointestinal discomfort, and nausea.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Three participants experienced serious problematic GI effects during the three experiments after taking general sodium bicarbonate and failed to complete the entire experiment.

    “Three participants experienced serious problematic GI effects during our three experiments after taking general sodium bicarbonate and failed to complete the entire experiment.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Findingnone given

    Figure 5 shows a significant increase in all of the parameters measured at 90 min after general sodium bicarbonate ingestion.

    “Figure 5 shows a significant increase in all of the parameters measured at 90 min after general sodium bicarbonate ingestion.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Eighteen metabolites were observed in this study.

    “After testing and analysis, eighteen metabolites were observed in this study.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    HR was increasing with time during the whole experiment.

    “The HR was increasing with time during the whole experiment (F4.847, 159.967 = 581.113, p = 0.000, η2 = 0.946).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    There were significant increases in RPE during the experiment.

    “although there were significant increases in RPE during the experiment (F3.552, 117.209 = 143.397, p = 0.000, η2 = 0.813).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Ingestion of ES and GS slightly increased MP compared with PL in the three experimental conditions.

    “However, ingestion of ES and GS slightly increased MP compared with PL in the three experimental conditions (The fourth WACT MP: ES = 634.36 ± 57.21W, GS = 611.74 ± 40.32W, PL = 595.40 ± 63.37W; p > 0.05)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    Five differential metabolites were screened 50 min after the third WACT among the three conditions for differences in urinary metabolites, namely 3-phospho-d-glycerate, d-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, cis-aconitate, oxaloacetate, and citrate.

    “A total of five differential metabolites were screened 50 min after the experiment with the three conditions for differences in urinary metabolites, namely 3-phospho-d-glycerate, d-Glucose 6-phosphate, pyruvate, cis-aconitate, oxaloacetate, and citrate.”
    • Also stated in: § Urine metabolomic analyses · plain
      “There were five metabolic differences between the three experimental conditions at 50 min after the third WACT (see Figure 7).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate do not improve anaerobic exercise performance.

    “Based on these results, it was concluded that acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate do not improve anaerobic exercise performance.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Supplementation of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate can enhance some of the weak effects of blood lactate clearance during anaerobic exercise, which may be beneficial for glycolytic energy supply.

    “The supplementation of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate can enhance some of the weak effects of blood lactate clearance during anaerobic exercise, which may be beneficial for glycolytic energy supply.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Enteric-coated and general sodium bicarbonate do not affect anaerobic performance and blood lactate.

    “However, they do not affect anaerobic performance and blood lactate.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    All trials were performed at the same time of day to minimize diurnal variation.

    “All trials were performed at the same time of day to minimize diurnal variation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    The study was conducted in a randomized crossover design.

    “In a randomized crossover design, twelve male college students completed four Wingate anaerobic 30-s cycling tests (WACT) after consuming a placebo (PL) and two experimental conditions: 0.2 g/kg body mass in enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate pills (ES) or general sodium bicarbonate pills (GS).”
    • Also stated in: § Procedures · plain
      “The study was divided into three trials including enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate (ES, containing enteric coating and sodium bicarbonate), general sodium bicarbonate (GS, containing sodium bicarbonate), and placebo (PL, containing cornstarch), and was conducted in a randomized crossover design.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Enteric coating resists dissolution in the gastric acid environment, and acid-sensitive components such as sodium bicarbonate can bypass the gastric.

    “By applying a novel ingestion strategy to an enteric coating (containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, shellac, etc.), it resists dissolution in the gastric acid environment, and acid-sensitive components such as sodium bicarbonate can bypass the gastric (Barbosa et al., 2017).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Barbosa et al., 2017 source

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation

    Each experiment was separated by at least 7 days, considered a sufficient washout period to eliminate any ergogenic effect of sodium bicarbonate.

    “Each experiment was separated by at least 7 days (1 week was considered a sufficient washout period to eliminate any ergogenic effect of sodium bicarbonate (Bishop and Claudius, 2005)).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Bishop and Claudius, 2005 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Premisecitation

    Sodium bicarbonate ingestion before exercise has a performance-enhancing effect on high-intensity exercise.

    “Sodium bicarbonate ingestion before exercise has a performance-enhancing effect on high-intensity exercise.”
    • Also stated in: § Introduction · boosted
      “During the past decades, numerous studies have demonstrated that increases in the extracellular buffer concentration via the oral ingestion of an alkaline solution, such as sodium bicarbonate may enhance human exercise performance (Wilkes et al., 1983; McNaughton et al., 1999; Requena et al., 2005; Lindh et al., 2008; Zabala et al., 2008; Ferreira et al., 2019).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Wilkes et al., 1983 source
    • cites McNaughton et al., 1999 source
    • cites Requena et al., 2005 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Retention time was corrected using standards of energy metabolites for metabolite identification.

    “The retention time was corrected using standards of energy metabolites for metabolite identification.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The sample cohort included one QC sample per interval to detect and evaluate the stability and reproducibility of the system.

    “The sample cohort is set up with one QC sample for each interval of a certain number of experimental samples, which is used to detect and evaluate the stability and reproducibility of the system.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    Data were analyzed using parametric tests following confirmation of a normal distribution via the Shapiro-Wilks-W-test.

    “Data were analyzed using parametric tests following confirmation of a normal distribution via the Shapiro-Wilks-W-test and are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    If lactate is not removed in time, it will be decomposed and converted into lactate and cause a large amount of H+ accumulation, resulting in muscle acidification, causing acidosis.

    “However, if lactate is not removed in time, it will be decomposed and converted into lactate and cause a large amount of H+ accumulation, resulting in muscle acidification, causing acidosis (Zinner et al., 2011).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Zinner et al., 2011 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The incidence and severity of these side-effects increase linearly with the dose of sodium bicarbonate ingested.

    “The incidence and severity of these side-effects increase linearly with the dose of sodium bicarbonate ingested and should be considered in terms of their overall effect on performance (Cameron et al., 2010).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Cameron et al., 2010 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Although BLA was not significantly different among three conditions, supplementation of enteric-coated and general sodium bicarbonate positively impacted the lactate clearance trend after exercise.

    “Although our data suggest no significant difference among three conditions in the BLA (p > 0.05), the supplementation of enteric-coated and general sodium bicarbonate positively impacted the lactate clearance trend after exercise.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Recovery between bouts of exercise is enhanced by enhanced buffering capacity.

    “The likely explanation is also that recovery between bouts of exercise is enhanced by enhanced buffering capacity.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The increase in buffering capacity achieved by ingesting sodium bicarbonate before exercise has previously been well documented.

    “The increase in buffering capacity achieved by ingesting sodium bicarbonate before exercise has previously been well documented (Siegler et al., 2010).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Siegler et al., 2010 source

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    In the QC samples, energy metabolism metabolites had RSD less than 30%, indicating that the data in the samples were stable and reliable.

    “The RSD (relative standard deviation) results of the measured substances in the QC samples are presented in Figure 6, where the energy metabolism with RSD is less than 30%, indicating that the data in the samples were stable and reliable.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationown data

    There was a larger increase in symptoms that may have impacted on performance.

    “There was a larger increase in symptoms that may have impacted on performance.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    The lack of RPE effect may be due to the excessive exercise intensity and short intervals during each WACT, resulting in little subjective feeling.

    “This may be due to the excessive exercise intensity and short intervals during each WACT, resulting in little subjective feeling.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    In healthy young men, supplementation of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate can enhance some of the weak effects of blood lactate clearance during anaerobic exercise, which may be beneficial for glycolytic energy supply.

    “In healthy young men, the supplementation of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate and general sodium bicarbonate can enhance some of the weak effects of blood lactate clearance during anaerobic exercise, which may be beneficial for glycolytic energy supply.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
38 of 38

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The effects of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate supplementation on physiological profile, anaerobic performance, gastrointestinal discomfort, and metabolomics have not been investigated.

    “In addition, the subsequent effects on exercise performance and metabolomics have not been investigated.”
    “However, fewer studies have been conducted on the effects of acute enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate supplementation on the physiological profile, anaerobic performance, and symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Urinary metabolite concentrations reflect systemic or muscle metabolic changes during exercise.

    “ES more potently induced circulating glucose metabolism and the TCA cycle than GS and PL.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The WACT is a valid measure of anaerobic exercise performance.

    “The main findings of this analysis were that, compared to PL, acute ingestion of ES and GS did not significantly improve either peak power or mean power during the WACT, regardless of the number of tests performed.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The three experimental conditions were equivalent at baseline for all relevant variables.

    “At baseline, no differences were observed among the three trials for HR.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The reported gastrointestinal symptoms are attributable to the supplements rather than to other factors.

    “In this study, gastrointestinal discomfort was shown to be significantly more prominent in the general sodium bicarbonate trial than the placebo and enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate, resulting in an increase in stomach cramping, stomach ache, and diarrhea in the participants in sports.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Metabolites clustered in the same cluster have similar expression patterns and may be in closer reaction steps in the metabolic process.

    “At the same time, metabolites clustered in the same cluster have similar expression patterns and may be in closer reaction steps in the metabolic process.”
6 of 6

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Glucose 6-phosphate direction conflicts between results and discussion

    Major

    The results report a greater increase in d-Glucose 6-phosphate with ES than with GS. The discussion instead says it decreased in ES relative to the PL and GS exercise levels.

  • Five differential metabolites claimed, but six are listed

    Minor

    The results say five differential metabolites were screened, but the list names six. The abstract also identifies all six as differing among conditions.

2 of 2

Cites

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Related

Authors
Zhou, N., Fan, Y., Wang, X., Wang, J., & Wu, H.
Affiliations
  • Capital University of Physical Education and Sports (CN)
  • General Administration of Sport of China (CN)
Corresponding author
Wu, Hao
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Physiology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2022-10-13
Volume
13
Pages
996381-996381
ISSN
1664-042X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fphys.2022.996381
PMC
PMC9606751
OpenAlex
W4304845703
Semantic Scholar
ce12e4375a709d809bdcb052b8d98d4d2b700d4a
Cited by
8
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2
FWCI
0.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Physiology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFF0300603)
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 supplementation, anaerobic performance, Wingate test, gastrointestinal discomfort, exercise-induced gastrointestinal symptoms, urine metabolomics, blood lactate, peak power, high-intensity intermittent exercise, sports nutrition, buffering agents, exercise performance enhancement, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, average power

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-18.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-18.

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Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

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