Baking Soda Supplementation

If you think baking soda is only good for baking and cleaning, you are missing out on an opportunity to boost your performance in the gym.

As it turns out, this cheap and accessible product hidden under your kitchen sink is perhaps something you might want to try next.

Chemical compounds

Sodium Bicarbonate is usually produced by the reaction of ammonia, sodium chloride and carbon dioxide in water.
It has many uses: fire extinguishing, disinfection, cooking, pH balancer & cleaning for example.

The main purpose or use of sodium bicarbonate is negating the effects of acidosis. This is where it becomes interesting.

Use as a supplement

When performing a strenuous type of activity, your blood acidity builds up (lactate) and studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate creates a buffer between lactate and lactic acid, creating a significant delay in the lactic acid build-up.
The time-frame of these effects take place 1 to 7 minutes of activity.

The effects can be compared to effects of beta-alanine, without the tingling.

Dosage

The reccommende dosage of sodium bicarbonate is 200-300mg per kg bodyweight and should be taken 60-90 minutes before a workout.
However, some caution is advised, consuming a large amount in a concentrated time-frame can cause an upset stomach, bowels or nausea.
Also, since about 28% of sodium bicarbonate is actually sodium, it's not advised for people with high bloodpressure for example.

Always start with a smaller dosage, to see how your body reacts.

For more info and studies, go to www.examine.com