MedPath

Acute Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation in Athletes

Phase 3
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Sport
Supplementation
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Sodium bicarbonate supplementation
Dietary Supplement: Placebo treatment
Registration Number
NCT03810404
Lead Sponsor
Poznan University of Physical Education
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of acute sodium bicarbonate (SB) and placebo (PLA) supplementation on buffering potential kinetics, physical capacity, discipline-specific performance as well as concentration of diagnostically significant blood biochemical indices in athletes, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.

Detailed Description

Effective muscle work is conditioned by maintaining the proper range of muscles pH, regulated by buffering systems, in which the main role is played by bicarbonates (HCO3-). For this reason, sodium bicarbonate (SB) is often proposed as an ergogenic agent, especially during high-intensity efforts. Until now the major limitation to SB supplementation has been the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects. There is also a lack of data of the individual SB-induced changes of buffering potential kinetics and its actual connection with physical capacity and discipline-specific performance. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of acute, different-dose SB ingestion on buffering potential kinetics, physical capacity, discipline-specific performance as well as changes of diagnostically significant blood biochemical indices concentration in athletes, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • written consent to participate,
  • a current medical clearance to practice sports,
  • training experience: at least 2 years,
  • minimum of 4 workout sessions (in the discipline covered by the study) a week.
Exclusion Criteria
  • current injury,
  • any health-related contraindication,
  • declared general feeling of being unwell,
  • unwilling to follow the study protocol.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Sodium bicarbonate supplementationSodium bicarbonate supplementationGroup taking oral SB supplementation in a different-dose regimen.
Placebo treatmentPlacebo treatmentGroup taking oral supplementation with placebo (NaCl).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes in anaerobic capacity after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

The Wingate cycling test carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of bicarbonate concentration in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Bicarbonate (HCO3-) \[mmol/L\] concentration analysis in blood carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes in discipline-specific exercise capacity after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

The discipline-specific exercise capacity tests carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of base excess concentration in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Base excess \[mmol/L\] concentration analysis in blood carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes of pH in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Blood pH (pH units) analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of lactate concentration in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Lactate \[mmol/L\] concentration analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes in blood glucose concentration after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Glucose \[g/dl\] concentration analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of lactate dehydrogenase activity in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Lactate dehydrogenase \[U/L\] activity analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of creatine kinase activity in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Creatine kinase \[U/L\] activity analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of pyruvate concentration in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Pyruvate \[mmol/L\] concentration analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes in hemoglobin concentration after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Hemoglobin (Hb) \[g/dl\] concentration analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Changes of blood cells concentration in blood after sodium bicarbonate supplementation and placebo treatmentBaseline and during 1 day of acute SB and PLA supplementation

Blood cells \[mln/mm³\] concentration analysis carried out at baseline, and after SB and PLA supplementation

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Sports Dietetics, Poznan University of Physical Education

🇵🇱

Poznań, Poland

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath