Sigma Nutrition Radio #580: Sodium Bicarbonate for Sports Performance – Prof. Lewis Gough
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Oct 14, 2025 Prof. Lewis Gough, an Associate Professor in Nutrition and Physiology, dives into the fascinating world of sodium bicarbonate and its impact on sports performance. He discusses how this agent acts as a buffer against fatigue and the individual variances in response to it. Gough reveals innovative timing strategies for supplementation that enhance effectiveness, along with novel delivery methods to mitigate gastrointestinal issues. He highlights future research directions, including applications for recovery and endurance, making crucial insights accessible for athletes.
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Bicarbonate Often Raises Blood Lactate
- Contrary to expectation, sodium bicarbonate often increases post-exercise blood lactate.
- The elevated extracellular pH gradient drives more lactate (and H+) out of muscle into the blood.
Anticipate Individual Variation
- Expect inter-individual variation: about 80–90% show benefit while 1–2 participants per study may not.
- Consider side effects as the main cause of non-response rather than a true negative performance effect.
Time Bicarbonate To Each Athlete’s Peak
- Use an individualized timing approach by mapping blood bicarbonate peak rather than a fixed pre-exercise time.
- Test each athlete because time-to-peak varies widely (≈40 min to 2.5 hr) and affects whether bicarb helps.
