Soda-doping proven to work

firecross

firecross

Board Supporter
Awards
0
Scientists have proven what athletes have been claiming for years - that Granny's old cure-all, bicarbonate of soda, can enhance performance.

'Soda-doping', as it is known amongst professional sportsmen, can have a significant effect on endurance and speed.

Baking soda appears to work best to enhance speed. A study at Loughborough University found that of nine swimmers who took baking soda before an event, eight reduced their times, the Times reports.

Jonathan Folland, who led the study, said: 'Essentially, sodium bicarbonate is an alkali substance that increases the pH of the blood.

'This seems to reduce and offset the acidity produced in the muscles during intense, anaerobic exercise that produces lactic acid most quickly, such as fast running or swimming.'

Sodium bicarbonate, as anyone whose taken it for indigestion knows, reduces acids - helping the body to deal with the acidic waste products produced during exercise, that tire us more quickly.

But the substance isn't a miracle-worker - shaving seconds, not minutes, off performance time - so that only the most proficient athletes will notice a difference.

The swimmers in the Loughborough study cut 1.5 seconds from their 200m time. Which is hardly significant for most of us who take a leisurely few laps up and down the pool.

A study at the American College of Sports Medicine found that runners could also improve performance with baking soda.

But the substance - used before modern times as a household cleaning agent - can cause upset stomachs, and tastes foul. 'It is not dangerous, but it tastes appalling,' warns Dr Folland.

He says that only those who are very serious about sport should try the white powder, which may cause diarrhoea.
A spoonful of baking soda DOES speed you up, say scientists | Mail Online
 

sharperunner

Member
Awards
0
I'm thinking their times sped up because they had the sudden urge to make a deposit at the porcelain drop box.
 
TheLastRonin

TheLastRonin

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
1.5 seconds for highly trained athletes should translate into a big difference to Joe anybody methinks.
 
r1ppedup

r1ppedup

New member
Awards
0
1.5sec is the difference from not making running back on the football team, to being in the newspaper for best running back
 
Deeerdre

Deeerdre

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Very interesting stuff..i think im gonna try it
 

bboyflash

Member
Awards
0
ya bro u can mix baking soda in 1 L of water drink 2 hrs b4 race n it does: delay muscle fatigue, reduce lactic acid, increase endurance performance, increase power output, increase training volume, and improve bone health-from the essentials of sports nutrion and supplements txt book
 
Vengeance187

Vengeance187

Member
Awards
0
Beta-Alanine and Sodium Phosphate would be much better options, without the possibility of diarrhea or throwing up.
w w w.poweringmuscles.com/article.php?id=77
(take out the spaces)
 
votum

votum

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Yeah 1.5 seconds is insane. Most professional athletes would give a nut for a 1.5sec increase. If you look at olympic 200m swims and runs, a lot of the time the spread from 1st to last isnt 1.5sec.
 

Northcutts

New member
Awards
0
Maybe Biotest can bring this along as a new break through.
 
Rodja

Rodja

Board Sponsor
Awards
3
  • RockStar
  • Legend!
  • Established
It's a pretty old concept. Dosing should be ~.3g/kg for an ergogenic effect without going overboard on sides (e.g. diarrhea).
 
Torobestia

Torobestia

Well-known member
Awards
2
  • RockStar
  • Established
Isn't bicarb doping tested for in professional competitions (talking the Olympics, not powerlifting meets)? I know it's tested for in things like horse races.
 
sapentia

sapentia

Member
Awards
0
I tried this for a little while last year. I don't remember anything too significant about it. It would have an effect similar to creatine or beta-alanine in that it would kick in on later reps towards failure possibly helping to get an extra rep at most.
 
RoadBlocK

RoadBlocK

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Old news, for runners, swimmers, etc, at the top of their game already, somebody average might not even notice a difference, although as others said, 1.5 sec could make a difference for somebody average too.
 
DR.D

DR.D

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
It works, but the benefits are seen most dramatically in endurance events like running or biking.
 
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Davy25 Nutrition / Health 32
Supplements 39
The_Old_Guy Supplements 20
Nutrition / Health 3
Kickstart7 Nutrition / Health 28

Similar threads


Top