A dose of 0.1 g/kg body weight of sodium bicarbonate increases post-exercise blood lactate levels to 13.2 mmol/L in non-professional cyclists but does not improve time to exhaustion, indicating that lactate elevation alone is insufficient to enhance performance under these conditions.

When someone takes sodium bicarbonate, it makes the blood better at neutralizing acid. During intense cycling, muscles produce lactic acid, which breaks down into lactate and hydrogen ions. The extra buffering in the blood pulls more hydrogen ions out of the muscles, so lactate builds up higher in the blood. But at a low dose, this doesn’t stop the muscles from getting tired because other factors, like energy depletion or nerve signaling, still limit how long they can keep going.