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Strong evidencePhysical performance

Sodium Bicarbonate

One of the few sports supplements with a genuine, well-replicated ergogenic effect: it buffers blood acidosis and improves performance in efforts lasting roughly 1-10 minutes. The limiting factor is not efficacy but gastrointestinal distress, which can wipe out the benefit entirely in some people.

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What the science says

  • High-intensity exercise lasting 1-10 minutes Strong evidence

    A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of extracellular buffering agents found sodium bicarbonate improved exercise capacity and performance with a small-to-moderate pooled effect, most reliably in efforts where metabolic acidosis is a limiting factor. The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand concludes the ergogenic effect is established and typically on the order of 2-3% in appropriate tasks.

  • Repeated-sprint and combat sports performance Moderate evidence

    Bicarbonate improves total work in repeated high-intensity bouts with short recovery, and trials in judo, boxing, wrestling and taekwondo generally show improved offensive actions and repeated-effort capacity. Results are more variable than for single continuous efforts because of the wider range of protocols used.

  • Muscular endurance in resistance training Moderate evidence

    Meta-analytic data show modest increases in repetitions to failure, mainly in higher-repetition sets that generate substantial acidosis. Effects on maximal strength (1RM) are negligible.

  • Gastrointestinal side effects blunt the benefit Strong evidence

    Nausea, bloating, cramping and diarrhoea are dose-dependent and common at 0.3 g/kg taken as a single bolus. Splitting the dose, taking it with a carbohydrate-rich meal, using enteric-coated capsules, or serial loading over several days substantially reduces GI symptoms without losing the buffering effect.

Dosage & safety

Studied dose0.2-0.3 g/kg body mass taken 60-180 minutes before exercise (individual peak bicarbonate timing varies widely, so trial it in training). Alternatively, serial loading at 0.4-0.5 g/kg/day split across meals for 3-4 days, finishing on competition day. Always take with 500-1000 mL of fluid and food.
SafetyGI distress is the main issue and can be severe. A 0.3 g/kg dose in a 75 kg person delivers roughly 6 g of sodium, a serious load for anyone with hypertension, heart failure or chronic kidney disease, who should avoid it. Do not use alongside potassium-sparing diuretics or in metabolic alkalosis. It can alter urinary pH enough to affect excretion of some drugs (lithium, salicylates, some amphetamines). Not prohibited by WADA.

How to take it

Timing60-180 minutes before exercise, but the individual peak varies enormously — trial it in training before you use it in a race.
With food?With a small carbohydrate meal and 500-1,000 mL of fluid, which is what makes the difference between tolerable and disastrous GI symptoms.
Worth knowingSerial loading at 0.4-0.5 g/kg/day for 3-4 days spreads the dose and causes far less gut trouble than one large acute dose.

Interactions

With medications

  • lithium

    Urinary alkalinisation and a large sodium load both increase lithium excretion, lowering blood levels below the therapeutic range. do not use it if you take lithium

  • potassium-sparing diuretics (spironolactone, amiloride)

    Combining them risks metabolic alkalosis and electrolyte disturbance. do not combine

  • salicylates, amphetamines and other pH-sensitive drugs

    Raising urinary pH changes how fast these are excreted, altering blood levels in either direction. do not use it alongside these medications without medical advice

  • antihypertensives and heart failure medication

    A 0.3 g/kg dose delivers roughly 6 g of sodium in a 75 kg person, which directly opposes sodium restriction. avoid entirely if you have hypertension, heart failure or kidney disease

With other supplements

  • electrolyte powders and ketone salts

    Each is a large sodium load and stacking them compounds both the GI distress and the sodium intake. do not combine on the same day

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Does sodium bicarbonate actually improve exercise performance?

Yes: sodium bicarbonate is one of the few sports supplements with strong, well-replicated evidence, buffering blood acidosis and improving performance by roughly 2-3% in hard efforts lasting about 1-10 minutes. The benefit is moderate-grade and more variable for repeated sprints and combat sports, and negligible for maximal strength.

How much sodium bicarbonate should I take before exercise?

The usual dose of sodium bicarbonate is 0.2-0.3 g per kg of body mass taken 60-180 minutes before exercise, with 500-1000 mL of fluid and food. Because the individual peak varies widely, trial your timing in training before using it in a race.

How do I avoid stomach upset from sodium bicarbonate?

Nausea, bloating, cramping and diarrhoea from sodium bicarbonate are dose-dependent and common with a single 0.3 g/kg bolus. Splitting the dose, taking it with a carbohydrate-rich meal, using enteric-coated capsules, or serial loading at 0.4-0.5 g/kg/day over 3-4 days reduces gut symptoms without losing the buffering effect.

Is sodium bicarbonate safe if I have high blood pressure or take lithium?

No: a 0.3 g/kg dose of sodium bicarbonate delivers roughly 6 g of sodium in a 75 kg person, so avoid it entirely with hypertension, heart failure or kidney disease. Do not use it if you take lithium, since urinary alkalinisation and the sodium load lower lithium levels, and do not combine it with potassium-sparing diuretics.

Scientific references

Where to buy

Nutricost, Sodium Bicarbonate, 120 Capsules

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