Should Cyclists Take Sodium Bicarbonate?! | Cycling Science Explained

Sodium Bicarbonate is getting a lot of attention for being a performance enhancing substance, with some people insinuating that it could end up on the list of banned substances because it is so effective.

Does scientific research back up that marketing hype? Sadly no, but that doesn’t mean it can’t make you faster.

What’s the best way to take it, when should you take it, and how much should you take? Tune in to the video to find out, and if you’ve tried it, let us know in the comments below!

// STUDIES REFERENCED IN THIS VIDEO

Effect of sodium bicarbonate on muscle metabolism during intense endurance cycling - 2022, Stephens. https://trainerroad.cc/Stephens2002
International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance - 2021, Grgic. https://trainerroad.cc/Grgic2021
Topical Sodium Bicarbonate: No Improvement in Blood Buffering Capacity or Exercise Performance - 2020, McKay. https://trainerroad.cc/McKay2020
Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate on High-Intensity Endurance Performance in Cyclists: A Double-Blind, Randomized Cross-Over Trial - 2014, Egger. https://trainerroad.cc/Egger2014
Sodium bicarbonate ingestion does not improve performance in women cyclists - 1994, Kozak-Collins. https://trainerroad.cc/KozakCollins1994
​​Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion Improves Time-to-Exhaustion Cycling Performance and Alters Estimated Energy System Contribution: A Dose-Response Investigation - 2020, Gurton. https://trainerroad.cc/Gurton2020
Effect of sodium bicarbonate on prolonged running performance: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over study - 2017, Freis. https://trainerroad.cc/Freis2017
The Impact of Sodium Bicarbonate on Performance in Response to Exercise Duration in Athletes: A Systematic Review - 2019, Hadzic. https://trainerroad.cc/Hadzic2019
Effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion during 6 weeks of HIIT on anaerobic performance of college students - 2019, Wang. https://trainerroad.cc/Wang2019
Post-exercise Supplementation of Sodium Bicarbonate Improves Acid Base Balance Recovery and Subsequent High-Intensity Boxing Specific Performance - 2019, Gough. https://trainerroad.cc/Gough2019


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