Effects of Novel Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion of Buffering Capacity

Long Island University

Status and phase: Completed; Early Phase 1

Conditions: PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING EFFECT

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Modified Sodium Bicarbonate; Dietary Supplement: Calcium carbonate (placebo); Dietary Supplement: Acute Sodium Bicarbonate

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03813329

Rossi01

Details and patient eligibility

About

One purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of elevating serum bicarbonate concentration more than had been achieved in previous studies without inducing potentially ergolytic GI distress. In order to do so, a modified SB ingestion protocol (ModSB) of 4 progressively larger doses (110 mg·kg-1 - 200 mg·kg-1) was administered. It was hypothesized that ModSB would significantly elevate serum bicarbonate concentration to a greater extent than would an acute SB ingestion protocol (AcuteSB).

This study was also designed to corroborate the results of previous studies regarding the ergogenic effects of sodium bicarbonate ingestion. Most studies have administered sodium bicarbonate in solutions, which would make the participants aware of the substance ingested due to the distinctive flavor of SB, possibly inducing a placebo effect. All doses in the present study were administered in gelatin capsules to mask the flavor of the ingested substances, maintaining participant blindness to the procedure.

Blood samples were collected at baseline and following placebo (CaCO3), acute sodium bicarbonate ingestion, and modified sodium bicarbonate ingestion to determine the effects of the ingestion protocols on serum bicarbonate, sodium and lactate concentrations, as well as on serum pH and blood hematocrit. The study design was a randomized double-blind crossover.

Enrollment: 10 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Peak oxygen consumption greater than 60 ml·kg-1·min-1 (men) or 50 ml·kg-1·min-1 (women)
• Currently training; defined as at least 5 days·week-1 of running
• Elite-level performance (750 or more points on the International Associations of Athletics Federations Scoring Table) for an 800m-5000m race during the preceding 6 months.

Exclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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10 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

4 progressively larger doses (110 mg·kg-1 - 200 mg·kg-1) of Calcium carbonate

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Acute Sodium Bicarbonate

Dietary Supplement: Calcium carbonate (placebo)

Dietary Supplement: Modified Sodium Bicarbonate

Acute Sodium Bicarbonate

Active Comparator group

Description:

3 doses of calcium carbonate (110 mg·kg-1, 130 mg·kg-1, 160 mg·kg-1), followed by one acute does (300 mg·kg-1) of sodium bicarbonate.

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Acute Sodium Bicarbonate

Dietary Supplement: Calcium carbonate (placebo)

Dietary Supplement: Modified Sodium Bicarbonate

Modified Sodium Bicarbonate

Experimental group

Description:

4 progressively larger doses (110 mg·kg-1 - 200 mg·kg-1) of sodium bicarbonate

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Acute Sodium Bicarbonate

Dietary Supplement: Calcium carbonate (placebo)

Dietary Supplement: Modified Sodium Bicarbonate