the most under-rated performance enhancing supplement is....

JudoJosh

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SODIUM BICARBONATE!!

Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and boxing performance.

Abstract
Boxing is a sport that consists of multiple high-intensity bouts separated by minimal recovery time and may benefit from a pre-exercise alkalotic state. The purpose of this study was to observe the ergogenic potential of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion on boxing performance. Ten amateur boxers volunteered to participate in 2 competitive sparring bouts. The boxers were prematched for weight and boxing ability and consumed either 0.3 g.kg(-1) body weight (BW) of NaHCO3 (BICARB) or 0.045 g.kg(-1) BW of NaCl placebo (PLAC) mixed in diluted low calorie-flavored cordial. The sparring bouts consisted of four 3-minute rounds, each separated by 1-minute seated recovery. Blood acid-base (pH, bicarbonate [HCO3(-)], base excess [BE]), and performance (rates of perceived exertion [RPE], heart rate [HR] [HR(ave) and HR(max)], total punches landed successfully) profiles were analyzed before (where applicable) and after sparring. The results indicated a significant interaction effect for HCO3(-) (p < or = 0.001) and BE (p < 0.001), but not for pH (p = 0.48). Post hoc analysis revealed higher presparring HCO3(-) and BE for the BICARB condition, but no differences between the BICARB and PLAC conditions postsparring. There was a significant increase in punches landed during the BICARB condition (p < 0.001); however, no significant interaction effects for HRave (p = 0.15), HRmax (p = 0.32), or RPE (p = 0.38). The metabolic alkalosis induced by the NaHCO3 loading elevated before and after sparring blood buffering capacity. In practical application, the findings suggest that a standard NaHCO3 loading dose (0.3 g.kg(-1)) improves punch efficacy during 4 rounds of sparring performance.
 
Spaniard

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I thought I remember reading an article comparing the effects in sprinters or marathon runners and horses. Sodium Bicarb from what I've read in humans has to be taken at such high doses that its not practical. I'll find the article when I get back from the Fire station. From the studies I've read, theoretically it has lots of potential but once they were doing human trials it didn't pan out in most because of the doses needed.
 
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JudoJosh

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It depends if you're willing to have explosive diarrhea while squatting or not.
lol, yes this is true, gastro-intestinal distress and diarrhea are risk with its use and not everyone can handle it but so far I have been doing ok with it. I find dividing it up into smaller amounts and starting low and slowey working towards higher amounts helps with this


I thought I remember reading an article comparing the effects in sprinters or marathon runners and horses. Sodium Bicarb from what I've read in humans has to be taken at such high doses that its not practical. I'll find the article when I get back from the Fire station. From the studies I've read, theoretically it has lots of potential but once they were doing human trials it didn't pan out in most because of the doses needed.

Around 20g for a 70kg athlete is the typical amount I believe

What I have been doing is 5g pre and 5g intra (started at 2.5g pre and 2.5g intra)
 

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lol, yes this is true not everyone can handle it but so far I have been doing ok with it. Dividing it up helps




20g for a 70kg athlete. What I have been doing is 5g pre and 5g intra

So what's your take on it so far? Noticing any effects?

A heaping spoon full of baking soda has been my go to for "stank burps" for years... If I eat something raunchy and want to go out drinking, or have a date, or for whatever reason I do not want others to smell the contents of my stomach I just eat a nice spool full of baking soda. It usually produces one massive burp, and I'm done. It's a solid man trick that I will pass onto my offspring.
 
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JudoJosh

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Effect of pH on cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses to exercise.

Abstract

Five male subjects performed exercise at 33, 66, and 95% of their maximum power output on three occasions in random order. Each study was preceded by a 3-h period in which capsules were taken by mouth, containing either CaCO3 (control, NH4Cl (acidosis), or NaHCO3 (alkalosis) in a dose of 0.3 g/kg body wt; preexercise blood pH was 7.38 +/- 0.015, 7.21 +/- 0.033, and 7.43 +/- 0.029, respectively. Exercise was continuous and maintained for 20 min at the two lower power outputs and for as long as possible at the highest. Compared with control (270 +/- 13 s), endurance time at the highest power output was reduced in acidosis (160 +/- 22 s) and increased in alkalosis (438 +/- 120 s). No differences were observed for central cardiovascular changes in exercise (cardiac output, frequency, or stroke volume). The respiratory changes expected from changes in blood pH were observed, with a higher alveolar ventilation in acidosis. At all power outputs arterialized venous lactate was lowest in acidosis and highest in alkalosis. Plasma glycerol and free fatty acids were lowest in acidosis. Changes in blood [HCO3-] and pH were shown to have major effects on metabolism in exercise which presumably were responsible for impaired endurance.

PMID 24031
0.3 g/kg body NaHCO3 3 hours prior to exercise resulted in near doubling of their power output


In this one they used a little more (0.4g/kg)

Induced metabolic alkalosis and its effects on 400-m racing time.

Abstract

Six trained male athletes who competed regularly in 400 metre races, were studied under control, alkalotic (NaHCO3) and placebo (CaCO3) conditions to study the effect of induced metabolic alkalosis on 400 m racing time. Pre and post exercise blood samples in the three conditions were analysed for pH, bicarbonate and base excess. Following ingestion of NaHCO3, pre-exercise pH, bicarbonate and base excess levels were significantly higher than either control or placebo conditions. In the alkalotic condition the subjects ran significantly (p less than 0.005) faster (1.52 s) than either the control of placebo conditions. The post-exercise pH, bicarbonate and base excess levels were all lower in the alkalotic condition than in the others. The results suggest that NaH-CO3 can be used as an effective ergogenic aid and support the speculation that the increased extracellular buffering afforded by NaHCO3 ingestion facilitated efflux of H+ from the working tissues, thus decreasing intracellular pH and hence offsetting fatigue.

PMID 2830108
 

MonsterTruckr

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0.3 g/kg body NaHCO3 3 hours prior to exercise resulted in near doubling of their power output


In this one they used a little more (0.4g/kg)
I was wondering what kind of results you were having personally? Do you think you feel anything from it?
 
JudoJosh

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I was wondering what kind of results you were having personally? Do you think you feel anything from it?
Increase in performance and endurance and slight improvement in recovery but I am still playing with it and will suggest you take my experience with it with a grain of salt (or however that saying goes) as what I am experiencing can just be placebo effects. My main interest in it first was for its alkalizing effect.
 
EasyEJL

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I think with this, spreading that amount out over the 3 hours prior helps. 30g at once is crap your pants grade, 10g an hour over the 3 beforehand does not seem to be as bad. I can only do that weekends though as I work out too early otherwise.

I wonder as well whether there is any buildup or longer term effect (positive or negative) from trying to get in that much a day
 
bolt10

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Actually did some testing on this in the lab for class before and have seen some positive feedback. Not a real study or anything but tried to mimic dosing found in a positive study (don't remember the exact one off the top of my head). Since then I have gone off and on with its usage and believe it is helpful if you don't have any GI issues. Take that for what it is worth, but the studies behind it tend to be positive (from my brief reading).

Nice info in here so far.
 
NADDANME

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Increase in performance and endurance and slight improvement in recovery but I am still playing with it and will suggest you take my experience with it with a grain of salt (or however that saying goes) as what I am experiencing can just be placebo effects. My main interest in it first was for its alkalizing effect.
So is this mostly just balancing you Ph levels or am I missing something else
 
JudoJosh

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So is this mostly just balancing you Ph levels or am I missing something else
The exact MOA of its ergogenic benefits are still kinda unknown at this point.
 
JudoJosh

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Bakubg soda + beta alanine

Effect of Combined β-Alanine and SodiumBicarbonate Supplementation on Cycling Performance.

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 28 d of β-alanine supplementation on 4-min cycling time trial performance and to determine whether there was an additive effect of combined β-alanine and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation on high-intensity cycling performance.

METHODS: Fourteen highly trained cyclists (mean ± SD: age = 25.4 ± 7.2 yr, mass = 71.1 ± 7.1 kg, V˙O2max = 66.6 ± 5.7 mL·kg·min) supplemented for 28 d with β-alanine (65 mg·kg body mass each day) or placebo. A maximal 4-min bout of cycling was performed before supplementation (baseline) and twice after supplementation: after ingestion of NaHCO3 (300 mg·kg body mass) and ingestion of a placebo using a randomized crossover design with 2 d between trials. Blood pH and HCO3 concentration were determined before loading (postsupplementation trials) and at pretest and posttest.

RESULTS: In the acute NaHCO3 loading trials, blood pH and HCO3 were elevated from before loading to pretest, and the magnitude of the change in HCO3 from pretest to posttest was significantly greater compared with the acute placebo loading trial (P < 0.001). Average power output in the 4-min cycling performance trial was increased in placebo + NaHCO3 (+3.1% ± 1.8%) and β-alanine + NaHCO3 (+3.3% ± 3.0%) compared with baseline (P < 0.05). β-alanine + placebo did not significantly improve average power output compared with baseline (+1.6% ± 1.7%, P = 0.20); however, magnitude-based inferences demonstrated that β-alanine + placebo was associated with a 37% likelihood of producing average power improvements.

CONCLUSIONS: In trained cyclists, β-alanine supplementation did not significantly improve 4-min cycling performance; however, there may be a small meaningful improvement in performance. Acute NaHCO3 supplementation significantly improved 4-min cycling performance. There seemed to be a minimal additive effect of combined β-alanine and NaHCO3 supplementation.

PMID 22330016
 
ZiR RED

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My thesis was on the effects of bicarbonate loading on a soccer specific shuttle run performance in a D3 soccer team.

We used .3g/kg about 90 minutes prior to exercise. We saw an increase in pre-exercise blood pH, suggesting that buffering capacity had increased. On average subjects performed better on the test (Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2) with bicarb than without, but the variance in subject fitness was so large that it was not statistically significant.

There's a number of suggestions about how it works, and in what conditions. The most easy to accept is that it increases the pH of the blood by providing additional HCO3, which increases the pH gradient between muscle and blood, allowing for a faster eflux of hydrogen molecules (acid) out of the muscle. As a result, the decline in anaerobic glycolysis is attenuated (does not occur as early in exercise). Also, the HCO3 buffers acid in the blood...basically: HCO3 + H --> H2CO3 --> CO2 + H2O.

Also, intramuscular H+ negative effects excitation contraction coupling (or the amount of contractile proteins interacting with eachother, and thus likely force production). From thesis:

Increased concentrations of intracellular H[SUP]+[/SUP] have been shown to compromise cross bridge cycling, reduce contractile machinery efficiency due to impaired calcium binding capacity, and impact the release of calcium from the sacroplasmic reticulum (Fabiato & Fabiato, 1978). Robertson and Kerrick (1976) have demonstrated that as pH decreases, a greater quantity of calcium is needed to produce an equal amount of muscular tension. Furthermore, Hargreaves et al. (1998) has shown that increased concentrations of intracellular H[SUP]+[/SUP] slow down cross-bridge detachment and reduce Ca[SUP]++[/SUP] ATPase pump activity. Relaxation, therefore, is slowed when pH decreases inhibit the return of Ca[SUP]++[/SUP] to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (Hultman, Sjoholm, Sahlin, & Edstrom, 1981). Thus, the competition between H[SUP]+[/SUP] and Ca[SUP]++[/SUP] for actomysosin binding sites decreases active cross-bridge formations and may result in reduced exercise capacity (Klausen, Knutigen, & Forster, 1972).

Another explanation is due to extracellular potassium (K+) accumulation, from thesis:

Decreases in intracellular muscle pH during exercise have been associated with increased K[SUP]+[/SUP] release and K[SUP]+[/SUP] accumulation in the interstitium (Bangsbo, Madsen, Kiens, & Richter, 1996; Nordsborg, Mohr, Pedersen, Nielsen, Langberg, & Bangsbo, 2003). Spruce, Standen and Stanfield (1985) have shown that the ATP-sensitive K[SUP]+[/SUP] channels are less inhibited by ATP levels as intracellular H[SUP]+[/SUP] concentrations are increased. In isolated muscles, Matar, Nosek, Wong, and Renaud (2000) demonstrated that an acidic activation of the pH-dependent ATP-sensitive K[SUP]+[/SUP] channels results in increased K[SUP]+[/SUP] efflux. The relationship between open K[SUP]+[/SUP] channels and decreasing pH has been suggested as a possible cause of the contraction-induced K[SUP]+[/SUP] loss. Mohr, Nordsborg, Nielsen, Pedersen, Fischer, Krustrup et al. (2006) investigated the interactions between pH and interstitial K[SUP]+[/SUP] in vivo. The researchers reported a significant relationship between decreasing values of intramuscular pH and increasing concentrations of interstitial K[SUP]+[/SUP] during intense exercise.
The accumulation of K[SUP]+[/SUP] in the interstitium has been demonstrated to reduce muscle excitability (Clausen, 2003). Increased extracellular K[SUP]+[/SUP] concentrations have also been shown to result in the inactivation of voltage-dependent Na[SUP]+[/SUP] channels (Clausen, 2003; Ruff, 1996). Thus, excitation failure due to interstitial K[SUP]+[/SUP] accumulation may be an influencing factor in the development of muscular fatigue (Fitts, 1994; Kjellmer, 1965).
The correlation between increased interstitial H[SUP]+[/SUP] and K[SUP]+[/SUP] accumulation was suggested by Street et al. (2005) as a possible explanation of the association between decreased performance and acidosis. Street et al. used induced metabolic alkalosis to investigate the relationship between interstitial H[SUP]+[/SUP] concentrations and K[SUP]+[/SUP] accumulation during high-intensity exercise to exhaustion. Significant correlations between decreased concentrations of interstitial H[SUP]+[/SUP] and K[SUP]+[/SUP] accumulation were found. Additionally, Street et al. (2005) reported significant decreases in interstitial H[SUP]+[/SUP] concentrations during alkalosis compared with placebo. Raymer, Marsh, Kowalchuk, and Thompson (2004) and Sostaric et al. (2006) found similar correlations, and suggested that NaHCO[SUB]3[/SUB] ingestion may improve cellular excitability during exercise.
Here's one of the few chronic loading studies that have been done. As a positive, chronic loading does not effect intramuscular buffering capacity (carnosine, etc.)

Edge, J., Bishop, D., & Goodman, C. (2006) Effects of chronic

NaHCO3 ingestion during interval training on changes to

muscle buffer capacity, metabolism, and short-term

endurance performance. American Journal of Physiology, 101,

918-925.

Hypothesis

Ingestion ofNaHCO3 and enhancement of extracellular buffering and H+ efflux would negatively affect improvements in muscle buffering.

Methods

16 females, 42.1 ml/kg/min VO2

8 weeks longitudinal training using HIIT simulating athletic training .2g/kg body weight, 90 and 30 min pre exercise

Discussion

8 weeks of chronic bicarbonate ingestion concomitant with interval training resulted in an improvement in time to fatigue, but did not negatively affect the development of muscle buffering capacity. Alkaline treatment resulted in significantly greater improvements in lactate threshold. Improvements in time to fatigue may be associated with the elevated lactate threshold observed in the alkaline group.

NaHCO3 supplementation during intense interval training improves lactate threshold and time to fatigue during high-intensity exercise.
 

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Sodium Bicarbonate has been used as an athletic performance enhancer for years.... Just not in humans. The practice of "Milkshaking" has been prevelant in the world of Horseracing for years and is a very effective performance enhancing proceduce. A solution of sodium bicarbonate is administered to racehorses 4 to 6 hours before racing to produce a metabolic acidosis. In turn, this helps delay the onset of fatigue by producing additional buffering to counteract the accumulation of lactic acid, induced by anaerobic muscular activity. The procedure itself typically involves a small tube being run up the horses' nose and down its' esophagus, followed by pumping them full of Sodium Bicarbonate, sometimes a gallons' worth. Other means of administration are intraveneous, sublingual, intramuscular and oral ingestion when "Milkshaking" a racehorse. It is considered an illegal practice by nearly all Horseracing governing bodies in the United States because, well, it's incredibly effective.
As far as humans go... If you can handle the constant diarreaha, bloating, constipation, nauseousness and lots of other nasty side-effects that come with the proper sized dose to be effective, then Sodium Bicarbonate could very well be your dream "supplement". In all seriousness though, it's just not feasable as a performance enhancer for humans.
 
NADDANME

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Sodium Bicarbonate has been used as an athletic performance enhancer for years.... Just not in humans. The practice of "Milkshaking" has been prevelant in the world of Horseracing for years and is a very effective performance enhancing proceduce. A solution of sodium bicarbonate is administered to racehorses 4 to 6 hours before racing to produce a metabolic acidosis. In turn, this helps delay the onset of fatigue by producing additional buffering to counteract the accumulation of lactic acid, induced by anaerobic muscular activity. The procedure itself typically involves a small tube being run up the horses' nose and down its' esophagus, followed by pumping them full of Sodium Bicarbonate, sometimes a gallons' worth. Other means of administration are intraveneous, sublingual, intramuscular and oral ingestion when "Milkshaking" a racehorse. It is considered an illegal practice by nearly all Horseracing governing bodies in the United States because, well, it's incredibly effective.
As far as humans go... If you can handle the constant diarreaha, bloating, constipation, nauseousness and lots of other nasty side-effects that come with the proper sized dose to be effective, then Sodium Bicarbonate could very well be your dream "supplement". In all seriousness though, it's just not feasable as a performance enhancer for humans.
I was wondering if someone was going to bring up race horses. This has been used for years. I thought I'd see how it effected me started at about half the clinical dose, gave me bad gas and regular belching.
 
JudoJosh

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Here is one where they used 0.3g/kg - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20977701

And here they used 0.2g/kg for 3 weeks and then drop to 0.1g/kg for the remaining 3 weeks - http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/ABR-vol2-iss2/ABR-2011-2-2-403-413.html

So for those saying it is far too much to be beneficial or for humans to use, I say it is far too cheap (you most likely have it already in the fridge) to at least try. Start off with a tsp before a workout and work your way up. As I said earlier I find splitting the dose has helped me avoid any stomach issues.
 

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So bicarb enhances performance... but does it blunt hypertrophy? Discuss
 
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Increase in performance and endurance and slight improvement in recovery but I am still playing with it and will suggest you take my experience with it with a grain of salt (or however that saying goes) as what I am experiencing can just be placebo effects. My main interest in it first was for its alkalizing effect.
I've been using chlorella for a few years pre workout because of its alkalizing effect but recently I been taking a higher dose with my pre workout meal and I feel that its worked better. Gonna try taking some baking soda with that pre workout meal, pre workout and maybe some intra. To see if that can prevent the stomach issues
 
ZiR RED

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So bicarb enhances performance... but does it blunt hypertrophy? Discuss
How might it blunt hypertrophy or protein synthesis?

Its not taken up by the tissues very readily, so it won't effect it intracellularly.

This is going to be reaching, but I might actually argue the opposite.

First, a sub-group of the insulin receptor is activated by alkaline substrates. Whether this occurs in skeletal muscle or not, I cannot seem to find much with any digging.

Cell Metab. 2011 Jun 8;13(6):679-89.

[h=1]Insulin receptor-related receptor as an extracellular alkali sensor.[/h]Deyev IE, Sohet F, Vassilenko KP, Serova OV, Popova NV, Zozulya SA, Burova EB, Houillier P, Rzhevsky DI, Berchatova AA, Murashev AN, Chugunov AO, Efremov RG, Nikol'sky NN, Bertelli E, Eladari D, Petrenko AG.
[h=3]Source[/h]Laboratory of Receptor Cell Biology, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.

[h=3]Abstract[/h]The insulin receptor-related receptor (IRR), an orphan receptor tyrosine kinase of the insulin receptor family, can be activated by alkaline media both in vitro and in vivo at pH >7.9. The alkali-sensing property of IRR is conserved in frog, mouse, and human. IRR activation is specific, dose-dependent and quickly reversible and demonstrates positive cooperativity. It also triggers receptor conformational changes and elicits intracellular signaling. The pH sensitivity of IRR is primarily defined by its L1F extracellular domains. IRR is predominantly expressed in organs that come in contact with mildly alkaline media. In particular, IRR is expressed in the cell subsets of the kidney that secrete bicarbonate into urine. Disruption of IRR in mice impairs the renal response to alkali loading attested by development of metabolic alkalosis and decreased urinary bicarbonate excretion in response to this challenge. We therefore postulate that IRR is an alkali sensor that functions in the kidney to manage metabolic bicarbonate excess.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Here we see that acidosis leads to protein wasting in skeletal muscle:

Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005 Jan;8(1):73-6.

[h=1]Control of muscle protein kinetics by acid-base balance.[/h]Caso G, Garlick PJ.
[h=3]Source[/h]Department of Surgery, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York, USA. [email protected]

[h=3]Abstract[/h][h=4]PURPOSE OF REVIEW: [/h]Abnormalities of acid-base balance accompany many pathological conditions. Acidosis is associated with several diseases such as chronic renal failure, diabetic ketosis, severe trauma and sepsis, and chronic obstructive respiratory disease, which are often associated with muscle wasting. There is evidence that acidosis can induce muscle protein catabolism and it could therefore be an important factor contributing to loss of muscle protein in these conditions. This review aims at outlining the effects of acid-base balance abnormalities on muscle protein metabolism, and will in particular summarize and evaluate the most recent studies on the impact of pH on control of muscle protein metabolism.
[h=4]RECENT FINDINGS: [/h]Acidosis has been shown to promote muscle protein catabolism by stimulating protein degradation and amino acid oxidation. This effect is achieved through up-regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway - one of the major enzyme systems for protein degradation. Recent studies in animals and humans have also shown that acidosis inhibits muscle protein synthesis. Little is known about the mechanisms by which acidosis depresses protein synthesis, or of the impact of alkalosis on protein metabolism.
[h=4]SUMMARY: [/h]Increasing evidence suggests that acidosis promotes muscle protein wasting by both increasing protein degradation and inhibiting protein synthesis. Correction of acidosis may therefore help to preserve muscle mass and improve the health of patients with pathological conditions associated with acidosis.

PMID:15586003 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
And here that acidosis reduces insulin receptor signalling in skeletal muscle, which would reduce protein synthesis, and probably blunt hypertrophy:

Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2004 Oct;287(4):F700-6. Epub 2004 May 25.

[h=1]Acidosis impairs insulin receptor substrate-1-associated phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling in muscle cells: consequences on proteolysis.[/h]Franch HA, Raissi S, Wang X, Zheng B, Bailey JL, Price SR.
[h=3]Source[/h]Renal Divisioin, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. [email protected]

[h=3]Abstract[/h]Chronic acidosis is a stimulus for proteolysis in muscle in vivo, but the mechanism of this response is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that acidosis or TNF-alpha, a cytokine whose production increases in acidosis, regulates proteolysis by inhibiting insulin signaling through phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). In cultured L6 myotubes, acidified (pH 7.1) media did not accelerate the basal protein degradation rate, but it inhibited insulin's ability to suppress proteolysis. Insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1)-associated PI3K activity was not altered in cells acidified for 10 min but was strongly inhibited in cells incubated at pH 7.1 for 24 h. Phosphorylation of Akt was also suppressed by acidification for 24 h. Acidification did not induce changes in IRS-1 abundance, insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, or the amount of PI3K p85 regulatory subunit. In contrast to acidification, TNF-alpha suppressed proteolysis in the presence or absence of insulin but had no effect on IRS-1-associated PI3K activity. To establish that the PI3K pathway can regulate protein degradation in muscle, we measured proteolysis in cells after inhibition of PI3K activity with LY-294002 or infection with an adenovirus encoding a dominant negative PI3K p85alpha-subunit. Both approaches inhibited insulin-induced suppression of proteolysis to a degree similar to that seen with acidification. We conclude that acidosis accelerates protein degradation by impairing insulin signaling through PI3K in muscle cells.

PMID:15161606 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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As I said, its a reach, but given the results of a very brief search, one might argue that maintaining a mild state of alkalosis might help with hypertrophy by improving insulin-mediated protein synthesis signalling.

Br
 

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I agree that it would aid in hypertrophy by virtue of increased weight shifted. I just wanted to stimulate discussion, as certain people have also professed that b-alanine may blunt hypertrophy (when in fact, body composition studies indicate the opposite in athletes). I had never seen the research on the extracellular sensor...very cool and thanks for posting!
 
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With regards to hypertrophy

Sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves hypertrophy-type resistance exercise performance.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) administration on lower-body, hypertrophy-type resistance exercise (HRE). Using a double-blind randomized counterbalanced design, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 years, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m) ingested 0.3 g kg(-1) of NaHCO(3) or placebo 60 min before initiation of an HRE regimen. The protocol employed multiple exercises: squat, leg press, and knee extension, utilizing four sets each, with 10-12 repetition-maximum loads and short rest periods between sets. Exercise performance was determined by total repetitions generated during each exercise, total accumulated repetitions, and a performance test involving a fifth set of knee extensions to failure. Arterialized capillary blood was collected via fingertip puncture at four time points and analyzed for pH, [HCO(3) (-)], base excess (BE), and lactate [Lac(-)]. NaHCO(3) supplementation induced a significant alkaline state (pH: NaHCO(3): 7.49 ± 0.02, placebo: 7.42 ± 0.02, P < 0.05; [HCO(3) (-)]: NaHCO(3): 31.50 ± 2.59, placebo: 25.38 ± 1.78 mEq L(-1), P < 0.05; BE: NaHCO(3): 7.92 ± 2.57, placebo: 1.08 ± 2.11 mEq L(-1), P < 0.05). NaHCO(3) administration resulted in significantly more total repetitions than placebo (NaHCO(3): 139.8 ± 13.2, placebo: 134.4 ± 13.5), as well as significantly greater blood [Lac(-)] after the exercise protocol (NaHCO(3): 17.92 ± 2.08, placebo: 15.55 ± 2.50 mM, P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate ergogenic efficacy for NaHCO(3) during HRE and warrant further investigation into chronic training applications.

PMID: 22941193
 
ZiR RED

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I don't know about most under-rated, but you will see a betaine study coming out before the end of the year that shows some impressive results...
 
aaronuconn

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I don't know about most under-rated, but you will see a betaine study coming out before the end of the year that shows some impressive results...
What were you having individuals use for a daily dosage?
 
mtinsideout

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Interesting stuff here, in for more info.
 
ZiR RED

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Nice. Proven dosage. Sometimes people will use 3g, and I've even used up to 5g.
I think once we can say what its best used for (as far as improving performance) the next step in research will be to determine optimal dosage.
 
jerrysiii

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Is there any concern with reducing stomach acid with these large doses. Effects on digestion?
 
Jiigzz

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I don't know about most under-rated, but you will see a betaine study coming out before the end of the year that shows some impressive results...
Interesting; I watched your video on Betaine; did you ever hypothesize as to why the data was mixed in human trials?
 
JudoJosh

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I don't know about most under-rated, but you will see a betaine study coming out before the end of the year that shows some impressive results...
As long as the introduction and discussion portions arent too long I'll give it a read. ;)
 
mtinsideout

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Increase in performance and endurance and slight improvement in recovery but I am still playing with it and will suggest you take my experience with it with a grain of salt (or however that saying goes) as what I am experiencing can just be placebo effects. My main interest in it first was for its alkalizing effect.
I took 2tsp pre workout this past weekend, 1tsp 1.5hrs before workout and 1tsp about 20min before workout. I also took my regular preworkout consisting of gatorade, agmatine, cit mal, caffeine, beta alanine and creatine mono. I felt as if my endurance and strength had gone up a bit. As for stomach issues I only got a few burps, nothing else. The stuff is gross though (very salty) and dosing in larger amounts before hand isn't very practical except days when you have more time (maybe weekends for me).
 
JudoJosh

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I took 2tsp pre workout this past weekend, 1tsp 1.5hrs before workout and 1tsp about 20min before workout. I also took my regular preworkout consisting of gatorade, agmatine, cit mal, caffeine, beta alanine and creatine mono. I felt as if my endurance and strength had gone up a bit. As for stomach issues I only got a few burps, nothing else. The stuff is gross though (very salty) and dosing in larger amounts before hand isn't very practical except days when you have more time (maybe weekends for me).
Solid amount (and list of supplements). I do a tsp with my jack3d micro and another tsp in my modernBCAA (intra)
 
ZiR RED

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Interesting; I watched your video on Betaine; did you ever hypothesize as to why the data was mixed in human trials?
A few reasons, I think. The two body comp studies that found no results did not include an exercise program. I think if the subjects had been training there would be a different results.

With regards to the performance trials, we can look to differences in training protocols, as the ones that included some sort of training saw better results. There was one that found no improvements, but they did performance testing 5 days after supplementation stopped. I think we need more research to really get an idea of what it's good for and not useful for.
 
Beau

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I believe they may be yet another benefit - and would like your thoughts.

When I take certain powered supplements, mixed in water, on an empty stomach - sometime thereafter I may get a certain emergent need to rush to the bathroom. This was the case with DAA, and I have had similar results with Arginine base. With DAA, I found that mixing the DAA with baking soda GREATLY reduced this. I am now (as of today) introducing a small amount (0.5 gr) of baking soda into my empty stomach mix, and hope to see the same benefit as I did with DAA.

Any thoughts???
 
jerrysiii

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I believe they may be yet another benefit - and would like your thoughts.

When I take certain powered supplements, mixed in water, on an empty stomach - sometime thereafter I may get a certain emergent need to rush to the bathroom. This was the case with DAA, and I have had similar results with Arginine base. With DAA, I found that mixing the DAA with baking soda GREATLY reduced this. I am now (as of today) introducing a small amount (0.5 gr) of baking soda into my empty stomach mix, and hope to see the same benefit as I did with DAA.

Any thoughts???
If I recall correctly, mixing DAA with sodium bicarbonate creates a new compound. So you may just be reacting differently to the Na-DAA
 

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I've been using chlorella for a few years pre workout because of its alkalizing effect but recently I been taking a higher dose with my pre workout meal and I feel that its worked better. Gonna try taking some baking soda with that pre workout meal, pre workout and maybe some intra. To see if that can prevent the stomach issues

Yuck! When I was a kid my mom forced me to eat that stuff....NASTY!!
 

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From a well researched / well documented point of view (as opposed to anecdotal), Transdermal Magnesium Chloride seems to be the single most underrated supplement. I rarely hear it discussed however its necessity for proper biological functioning is remarkable.
 

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