Research
Energy balance
Sodium bicarbonate and other alkalinizing agents can improve performance in high-intensity exercise lasting 1-15 minutes by buffering hydrogen ions, but gastrointestinal distress is a common side effect.
If you compete in events lasting 1-15 minutes (like 800m or 1500m), sodium bicarbonate may improve performance. Use 0.3g/kg body mass. Be aware of gastrointestinal distress, which is a common side effect. Sodium citrate may be a gentler alternative.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
The results are not entirely consistent, but the evidence does tend to support beneficial effects on performance lasting about 1 – 15 min... Sodium citrate has been recommended as an alternative to sodium bicarbonate, especially for those athletes prone to the gastrointestinal disturbances that sometimes accompany the large doses
Why this rating
The paper cites studies showing improvements but notes inconsistent results.
Source
The use of dietary supplements by athletes
Ronald J. Maughan et al. · Journal of Sports Sciences · 2007
DOI 10.1080/02640410701607395
narrative_review · n=310Cited 307×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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