Supplement
Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda, an alkaline salt that works as one of the blood's main buffers, soaking up excess acid to keep the body's chemistry steady. Athletes mostly look at it for rowing and other high-intensity efforts, where the evidence is strong and studies found anaerobic capacity improved. Still, the studies behind those findings were small, and in cyclists adrenaline showed no clear difference.
Sources: PMID 18004687; PMID 20881504
- Updated
- How we grade
- 69 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 21
- Outcomes
- 132
- Graded outcomes
- 02134
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Metabolic Health
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Blood Acidity: changes; see studies
Rowing Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Power Output: improves
Anaerobic Exercise Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Power Output: improves
Muscle Size Strength
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Power Output: improves
Rugby Performance
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Power Output: improves
Muscle Size & Strength
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Power Output: improves
Obesity
- Blood Acidity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Ketone Bodies: improves
Boxing Performance
- Blood Acidity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Rating of Perceived Exertion: improves
Muscle Recovery
- Blood Acidity: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
Martial Arts Performance
- Blood Lactate (Exercise): improves
- Power Output: improves
- Rating of Perceived Exertion: improves
General Cardiovascular Health
- Glycemic Control: improves
- Lipid Absorption: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glycemic Control Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 18 people | ||
| Lipid Absorption | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 16 people |
Cycling Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics: improves
- Adrenaline
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 6 people | |||
| Adrenaline No effect | NoneNo effect | 10 people | ||||
| Serum Bicarbonate | Improves (the measure goes up) | 26 studies | 124 people | |||
| Anaerobic Capacity | Improves (the measure goes up) | 11 studies | 112 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 6 studies | 126 people | |||
| Blood Acidity | Changes; see studies | 4 studies | 124 people | |||
| Rating of Perceived Exertion | Improves (the measure goes up) | 4 studies | 33 people | |||
| Blood Lactate (Exercise) | Changes; see studies | 2 studies | 119 people | |||
| Neuromuscular Function | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 8 people | |||
| Fat Oxidation | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 6 people | |||
| Training Volume | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 15 people | |||
| Heart Rate | Improves (the measure goes down) | 24 people | ||||
| Oxygen Uptake | Improves (the measure goes up) | 46 people |
Swimming Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics: improves
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 6 people | |||
| Serum Bicarbonate | Improves (the measure goes up) | 26 studies | 25 people | |||
| Anaerobic Capacity | Improves (the measure goes up) | 11 studies | 33 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 6 studies | 10 people | |||
| Blood Acidity | Changes; see studies | 4 studies | 25 people | |||
| Blood Lactate (Exercise) | Changes; see studies | 2 studies | 25 people |
General Athletic Performance
- Adrenaline
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Anaerobic Capacity: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenaline No effect | NoneNo effect | 6 people | ||||
| Serum Bicarbonate | Improves (the measure goes up) | 26 studies | 140 people | |||
| Anaerobic Capacity | Improves (the measure goes up) | 11 studies | 111 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 6 studies | 55 people | |||
| Blood Acidity | Changes; see studies | 4 studies | 147 people | |||
| Rating of Perceived Exertion | Improves (the measure goes up) | 4 studies | 6 people | |||
| Blood Lactate (Exercise) | Changes; see studies | 2 studies | 120 people | |||
| Training Volume | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 50 people | |||
| Ammonia | Changes; see studies | 12 people | ||||
| Noradrenaline | Improves (the measure goes up) | 6 people | ||||
| Oxygen Uptake | Improves (the measure goes up) | 23 people | ||||
| Plasma Endorphins | Improves (the measure goes up) | 7 people |
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
- Blood Pressure
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Kidney Function: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pressure No effect | NoneNo effect | 1,380 people | ||||
| Serum Bicarbonate | Improves (the measure goes up) | 26 studies | 1,380 people | |||
| Kidney Function | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 1,380 people | |||
| Net Acid Excretion | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 108 people | |||
| Heart Failure Risk | Changes; see studies | 1,380 people | ||||
| Leg Edema | Changes; see studies | 1,380 people | ||||
| Plasma Total Carbon Dioxide | Improves (the measure goes up) | 108 people |
End-Stage Renal Disease
- Blood Pressure
- Serum Bicarbonate: improves
- Kidney Function: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Pressure No effect | NoneNo effect | 1,380 people | ||||
| Serum Bicarbonate | Improves (the measure goes up) | 26 studies | 1,380 people | |||
| Kidney Function | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 1,380 people | |||
| Heart Failure Risk | Changes; see studies | 1,380 people | ||||
| Leg Edema | Changes; see studies | 1,380 people |
Dental Health
- Teeth Whitening: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teeth Whitening | Improves (the measure goes up) | 3 studies | 259 people |
Tennis Performance
- Neuromuscular Function: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuromuscular Function | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 9 people |
Menopause
- Glycemic Control: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glycemic Control | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 18 people |
Key findings
- Anaerobic CapacityImproves (the measure goes up)
- Aerobic Exercise MetricsImproves (the measure goes up)
- Blood AcidityImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Sodium Bicarbonate products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade B
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Studies cited
69 studies from PubMed
- Effect of β-alanine plus sodium bicarbonate on high-intensity cycling capacity
- Induced alkalosis and caffeine supplementation: effects on 2,000-m rowing performance
- Effects of various sodium bicarbonate loading protocols on the time-dependent extracellular buffering profile
- Acid-base balance during repeated bouts of exercise: influence of HCO3
- Effects of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on prolonged intermittent exercise
- The acute reversal of a diet-induced metabolic acidosis does not restore endurance capacity during high-intensity exercise in man
- Metabolic and blood catecholamine responses to exercise during alkalosis
- Effect of induced alkalosis on exhaustive leg press performance
- Induced metabolic alkalosis affects muscle metabolism and repeated-sprint ability
- The effects of buffer ingestion on metabolic factors related to distance running performance
- Influence of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on plasma ammonia accumulation during incremental exercise in man
- Effects of chronic bicarbonate ingestion on the performance of high-intensity work
- Acute versus chronic sodium bicarbonate ingestion and anaerobic work and power output
- Effects of chronic NaHCO3 ingestion during interval training on changes to muscle buffer capacity, metabolism, and short-term endurance performance
- Increased blood pH but not performance with sodium bicarbonate supplementation in elite rugby union players
- Effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on exhaustive resistance exercise performance
- Acidosis stimulates beta-endorphin release during exercise
- Sodium bicarbonate improves swimming performance
- Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and repeated swim sprint performance
- Sodium bicarbonate ingestion improves performance in interval swimming
- Effects of sodium bicarbonate, caffeine, and their combination on repeated 200-m freestyle performance
- Treatment of metabolic acidosis in patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease with fruits and vegetables or oral bicarbonate reduces urine angiotensinogen and preserves glomerular filtration rate
- Efficacy and safety of oral sodium bicarbonate in kidney-transplant recipients and non-transplant patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- The effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on 1500-m racing time
- Effects of induced alkalosis on simulated match performance in elite female water polo players
- The effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on high-intensity intermittent running and subsequent performance
- The effects of sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate on 600 m running time of trained females
- Metabolic alkalosis, recovery and sprint performance
- The effects of combined glucose-electrolyte and sodium bicarbonate ingestion on prolonged intermittent exercise performance
- Repeated bouts of sprint running after induced alkalosis
- Influence of pre-exercise acidosis and alkalosis on the kinetics of acid-base recovery following intense exercise
- No effect of bicarbonate treatment on insulin sensitivity and glucose control in non-diabetic older adults
- Effects of changes in acid base and calcium concentration on fasting serum insulin, proinsulin, and glucose concentrations
- Time course of blood bicarbonate and pH three hours after sodium bicarbonate ingestion
- Effects of sodium bicarbonate on nitrogen metabolism and ketone bodies during very low energy protein diets in obese subjects
- Systemic pH modifies ketone body production rates and lipolysis in humans
- Sodium acetate induces a metabolic alkalosis but not the increase in fatty acid oxidation observed following bicarbonate ingestion in humans
- Does bicarbonated mineral water rich in sodium change insulin sensitivity of postmenopausal women
- Effects of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on performance and perceptual responses in a laboratory-simulated BMX cycling qualification series
- Effect of sodium bicarbonate on muscle metabolism during intense endurance cycling
- Bicarbonate ingestion has no ergogenic effect on consecutive all out sprint tests in BMX elite cyclists
- The effect of induced alkalosis and submaximal cycling on neuromuscular response during sustained isometric contraction
- Effect of alkalosis on plasma epinephrine responses to high intensity cycle exercise in humans
- Effect of induced alkalosis on the power-duration relationship of "all-out" exercise
- The effects of serial and acute NaHCO3 loading in well-trained cyclists
- Effects of induced metabolic alkalosis on prolonged intermittent-sprint performance
- Dose-related effects of prolonged NaHCO3 ingestion during high-intensity exercise
- Effects of caffeine, sodium bicarbonate, and their combined ingestion on high-intensity cycling performance
- Sodium bicarbonate ingestion does not improve performance in women cyclists
- Multiday acute sodium bicarbonate intake improves endurance capacity and reduces acidosis in men
- Effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion upon repeated sprints
- Effect of sodium bicarbonate contribution on energy metabolism during exercise: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Sodium bicarbonate can be used as an ergogenic aid in high-intensity, competitive cycle ergometry of 1 h duration
- Reliability and effect of sodium bicarbonate: buffering and 2000-m rowing performance
- Influence of sodium bicarbonate on performance and hydration in lightweight rowing
- The effect of induced alkalosis and acidosis on plasma lactate and work output in elite oarsmen
- Bicarbonate attenuates arterial desaturation during maximal exercise in humans
- Plasma pH does not influence the cerebral metabolic ratio during maximal whole body exercise
- Does sodium-bicarbonate ingestion improve simulated judo performance
- Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Muscular Strength and Endurance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
- Sodium bicarbonated mineral water decreases postprandial lipaemia in postmenopausal women compared to a low mineral water
- Efficacy of baking soda-containing chewing gum in removing natural tooth stain
- Effects of a Baking Soda Gum on extrinsic dental stain: results of a longitudinal 4-week assessment
- A clinical investigation to evaluate reduction in dental stain provided by the once-daily use of a breath mint or chewing gum
- Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and boxing performance
- Acute and chronic effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion on Wingate test performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion on Measures of Wingate Test Performance: A Meta-Analysis
- Pre-exercise alkalosis and acid-base recovery
- Sodium bicarbonate supplementation prevents skilled tennis performance decline after a simulated match