The Effect of Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Rugby Players.

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Supplementation

• Registration Number: NCT07017582
• Lead Sponsor: Universidad de Burgos

Brief Summary

The objetive of the study was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves athletic performance and/or reduces fatigue in elite rugby players.

The participants were 17 elite rugby players. Half of the participants receive sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg body weight), the other half receive a placebo (salt). Ingestion of the supplementation/placebo occured 90 minutes before high-intensity rugby-specific training Variables analysed were measure at baseline, prior to exercise, during exercise and after exercise.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-02-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-02-14
• Study Completion: 2023-02-15
• Study First Submitted: 2025-05-23
• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-06-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-03
• Study First Posted: 2025-06-12
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 17

Inclusion Criteria

• Male rugby players who were competing in the First Spanish National League (Division de Honor A) voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after attending an informative session

Exclusion Criteria

• injury or illness on test day

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Capillary blood lactate	At baseline (prior to supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).	Lactate concentrations were measured in a capillary blood sample obtained fromparticipants' fingertips using a portable analyzer (Lactate 2, Arkray, Kyoto, Japan)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Countermovement jump	At baseline (prior to supplementation) and after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).	For the CMJ, subjects started from an upright position withhands on waist and then executed a countermovement jump by flexing the knees to 90◦and jumping as high as possible. During the flight stage, they were instructed to keep theirknees extended to 180◦, without hyperextending the hips . Jump height was measuredon an infrared platform (Optojump, Microgate, Bolzano, Italy).
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms	At baseline (before supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).	Questionnaires consisted of nine 100-mm visual analog scales (VASs). The VASs were anchored at each end with no symptom on the left-hand side and severe symptom on the right-hand side. Participants were asked to rate the severity of their symptoms. If they were experiencing no symptoms, they circled the appropriate words, for example, no nausea. If they were experiencing some symptoms, they indicated their overall rating by placing a vertical mark on the line.; The VASs were used to measure symptoms of nausea, flatulence, stomach cramping, belching, stomachache, bowel urgency, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach bloating.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Universidad de Burgos; 🇪🇸 Burgos, Spain