The Claim

Ingestion of 0.3 g/kg sodium bicarbonate prior to three 30-second all-out cycling sprints with 20-minute recoveries increases the post-exercise protein content of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) by 23.7% and its chaperone basigin (CD147) by 70.4% in healthy young men 24 hours after exercise.

Source: The effect of pre-exercise alkalosis on lactate/pH regulation and mitochondrial respiration following sprint-interval exercise in humans

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
68score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

How it works
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Taking 0.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight before intense cycling sprints increases the levels of MCT1 and basigin proteins in skeletal muscle 24 hours after exercise.

See the scientific wording

Ingestion of 0.3 g/kg sodium bicarbonate prior to three 30-second all-out cycling sprints with 20-minute recoveries increases the post-exercise protein content of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) by 23.7% and its chaperone basigin (CD147) by 70.4% in healthy young men 24 hours after exercise, suggesting metabolic alkalosis enhances the molecular adaptation of lactate transport systems in skeletal muscle.

Why this might work

Taking sodium bicarbonate before intense exercise makes the blood less acidic, which reduces damage to proteins in muscle cells during recovery. This allows more lactate transport proteins to survive and build up, increasing the muscle's ability to move lactate out of the cell.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The effect of pre-exercise alkalosis on lactate/pH regulation and mitochondrial respiration following sprint-interval exercise in humans

    Taking baking soda before intense bike sprints made muscles produce more of two special proteins that help remove lactic acid, exactly as the claim says.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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