The Study
International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance
This isn't a new experiment — it's a group of experts reading lots of other studies and saying, 'Based on what we've seen, sodium bicarbonate seems to help athletes perform better in short, intense workouts.' But they didn't test it themselves, so we can't say for sure it's the supplement causing the improvement.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
When athletes push hard for less than 12 minutes, their muscles get acidic and slow down. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) acts like a sponge to soak up that acid, helping them keep going longer and harder.
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 52 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1A 2% improvement in a 4-minute race equals about 5 seconds — enough to win a medal in elite competition.
- 2Taking 0.3 grams of baking soda per kg of body weight (e.g., 21g for a 70kg person) improves sprinting, cycling, and swimming times by 1.3% to 2.9%.
- 3Higher doses cause stomach problems without extra benefit.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2021
Authors
J. Grgic, Ž. Pedišić, B. Saunders, G. Artioli, B. Schoenfeld, M. McKenna, D. Bishop, R. Kreider, Jeffrey R. Stout, D. Kalman, S. Arent, Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, H. Lopez, T. Ziegenfuss, L. Burke, J. Antonio, B. Campbell
Related Content
Videos (1)
Claims (10)
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.
Taking 0.2 to 0.5 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight 60 to 180 minutes before exercise increases high-intensity athletic performance.
Taking sodium bicarbonate before high-intensity exercise lasting 30 seconds to 12 minutes results in better performance compared to not taking it.
High-intensity exercise between 30 seconds and 12 minutes raises hydrogen ion levels inside muscle cells, lowers pH, and reduces the ability of muscles to contract and enzymes to function.
Sodium bicarbonate supplementation at 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight increases high-intensity exercise performance by 1.3% to 2.9% in trained athletes during efforts lasting 30 seconds to 12 minutes, by increasing the body's ability to neutralize acid in the blood and maintain energy production from glycolysis.
A dose of 0.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight consistently improves high-intensity exercise performance. Lower doses do not reliably improve performance, and higher doses cause more stomach issues without improving performance further.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.