The Study
Individual and Combined Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate and Sodium Citrate Supplementation on High-Intensity Exercise Performance in Highly Trained Female CrossFit Athletes.
This study saw that when 10 athletes took a special powder, they sometimes rode their bikes faster and their blood changed in a certain way. But we don’t know if the powder actually caused those changes—maybe they just felt more motivated that day. So we can only say the powder and the results happened together, not that one made the other happen.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if taking baking soda in a special pill helps athletes bike faster during short, intense efforts.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 540 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1A 21.5-second improvement in a 6-km race is meaningful for elite athletes, but stomach discomfort may make it hard to tolerate.
- 2Baking soda (0.3 g per kg of body weight) made athletes 21.5 seconds faster in a 6-km bike race and raised blood bicarbonate by 6.5 mmol/L.
- 3It also caused more stomach upset than placebo or sodium citrate.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
International journal of sports physiology and performance
Year
2025
Authors
Robyn Martin, Xaiolin Yang, Lars R. McNaughton
Related Content
Claims (4)
Highly trained female CrossFit athletes who consume sodium bicarbonate at 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight report more gastrointestinal symptoms before exercise than those who take a placebo or sodium citrate.
Taking 0.3 grams of enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight before a 6-km cycling time trial results in a 21.5-second improvement in performance and raises blood bicarbonate levels by 6.5 mmol·L⁻¹ in highly trained female CrossFit athletes compared to a placebo.
When highly trained female CrossFit athletes consume 0.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight before exercise, their blood bicarbonate levels rise by 6.5 mmol·L⁻¹ compared to when they take a placebo. Sodium citrate and combined supplements produce smaller or no significant increases in blood bicarbonate under the same conditions.
Taking sodium bicarbonate before high-intensity exercise lasting 30 seconds to 12 minutes results in better performance compared to not taking it.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.