The effect of sodium bicarbonate mini-tablets in a carbohydrate hydrogel on prolonged high-intensity cycling performance and metabolism in acute normobaric hypoxia

Sodium bicarbonate hydrogel improves athletic performance in low-oxygen conditions without changing how fast you pedal, your heart rate, or how much oxygen you use, meaning the improvement comes from better muscle function or energy efficiency, not from increased aerobic capacity.

Taking sodium bicarbonate by mouth raises bicarbonate levels outside muscle cells, allowing hydrogen ions to leave the cells and lowering acid levels inside the cells.

When trained male cyclists consume sodium bicarbonate mixed in a carbohydrate gel during intense exercise in low-oxygen conditions, they experience the same level of stomach discomfort as when they consume sodium bicarbonate in traditional forms.

Taking sodium bicarbonate with a carbohydrate gel during intense cycling in low-oxygen conditions increases the balance of charged ions outside muscle cells, which directly improves muscle electrical activity and decreases fatigue.

Trained male cyclists who consume 0.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight in a carbohydrate gel 90 minutes before cycling 40 kilometers under simulated high-altitude conditions complete the ride 1.2% faster because the sodium bicarbonate reduces the buildup of acid in their blood during intense effort.

When trained male cyclists consume sodium bicarbonate mixed with a carbohydrate gel at a dose of 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight before exercising in low-oxygen conditions, their blood bicarbonate levels rise by 4.8 mmol/L and their blood pH increases, confirming systemic alkalosis without lowering oxygen levels.