The Study
Performance and muscle activity during a high-intensity intermittent task after the ingestion of sodium bicarbonate: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study
This study gave 12 athletes either a special pill or a fake pill and then tested how strong they were during a tough workout. It found no difference between the two pills, so we can say the special pill didn’t help here — but only for these 12 guys.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave trained men baking soda or a fake pill and tested their leg strength and how tired they felt during intense exercise.
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 553 / 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.
- 1For trained men doing short, intense bursts of exercise, baking soda doesn't seem to help them feel less tired or perform better with their legs.
- 2Baking soda and the fake pill had the same effect: no change in leg strength, muscle signals, or how hard or painful the exercise felt.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Human Sport and Exercise
Year
2023
Authors
M. M. Kalytczak, R. Battazza, J. Baker, D. Biasotto-Gonzalez, Juliana Dragoni Kalytczak, G. Leite, D. Bocalini, F. Politti
Related Content
Claims (2)
Taking sodium bicarbonate at 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight does not change quadriceps strength, muscle electrical activity, how hard exercise feels, or how much pain is felt during high-intensity intermittent exercise in trained men.
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.