From Kitchen Cabinets to World Records: How Bicarb Enhances Performance

Over the centuries, humanity has searched for ways to stretch the natural limits of human ability. While ancient alchemists dreamed of mythical elixirs that grant superhuman abilities, modern athletes rely on factual science. In recent years, one compound has come to dominate the world of high-intensity sports: sodium bicarbonate. Informally known as “bicarb,” sodium bicarbonate supplementation has exploded in popularity among world-class and high school athletes alike due to its ability to delay muscle fatigue. This summer, Scottish runner Josh Kerr—who publicly attributed his mile world record and recent personal bests to his use of sodium bicarbonate—broke Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old record with a time of 3:42.66. The impact of sodium bicarbonate on modern athletics is undeniable, yet surprisingly few athletes understand the actual physiological mechanisms or the risks behind it.

During high-intensity exercise, the body relies heavily on anaerobic glycolysis to rapidly generate energy. Anaerobic glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose to create adenosine triphosphate, the body’s form of energy, without oxygen. However, this process comes at a cost: as anaerobic glycolysis occurs, acidic hydrogen ions accumulate inside muscle cells, a process known as intracellular acidosis. The surge of hydrogen ions in muscle cells causes a sharp drop in muscle pH levels, causing a strong burning sensation and a disruption to muscle contractions, forcing athletes to reduce their power output. Specifically, hydrogen ions impair the binding of calcium ions to troponin, a regulatory protein that helps regulate muscle movement, preventing muscle fibers from contracting with full force. This is an extremely significant hurdle for athletes, especially for those who compete in track events, as it requires continuous exertion above the aerobic threshold. Without time to rest and clear out the acid, the buildup of hydrogen ions and subsequent muscle fatigue significantly reduce their performance. 

This is where sodium bicarbonate comes into play. When digested, sodium bicarbonate breaks down into sodium and bicarbonate ions, increasing the level of bicarbonate in the bloodstream. Due to the concentration of acidic hydrogen ions inside active muscle cells being far higher than in the blood, a concentration gradient is created where hydrogen ions are transported into the blood by special transport proteins such as monocarboxylate transporters and sodium-hydrogen exchangers. When these hydrogen ions meet with the bicarbonate in the blood, they bind together, forming carbonic acid, which quickly dissociates into water and carbon dioxide and is eventually transported to the lungs and exhaled out. This process repeats continuously until the bloodstream’s supply of bicarbonate runs out. One could think of bicarbonate as a sponge, soaking up hydrogen ions in the blood to draw acid away from working muscles. By balancing the pH, this buffering action delays the onset of muscle fatigue, allowing the athlete to continue their high-intensity activity longer without being impacted by acidosis. 

Sodium bicarbonate is an economical and widely accessible compound. Chemically speaking, it is identical to common household baking soda. However, tapping into its performance benefits isn’t as simple as raiding the kitchen pantry. When pure baking soda mixes with stomach acid, carbon dioxide is rapidly created, and the natural pH levels of the stomach are disrupted. For some, this may be manageable when dissolving the dose of baking soda in enough water. However,  this will cause severe stomach distress, bloating, and nausea for most, side effects that can easily ruin a race before an athlete even reaches the starting line, forcing modern sports scientists to develop delivery mechanisms to get around the gastrointestinal issues. 

To bypass this stomach distress, athletes rely on protective hydrogels and acid-resistant micropills that encase the sodium bicarbonate. These specialized coatings allow the sodium bicarbonate to pass through the stomach without interacting with stomach acid, and absorb safely through the intestines and into the bloodstream. By delaying the presence of sodium bicarbonate until it enters the alkaline environment of the small intestine, the gas buildup is minimized. Although this coating technology is far more expensive than the standard grocery store baking soda, it provides a much safer way to boost performance. 

Bicarb sits in an interesting gray area of modern sports; it is completely legal, easily accessible, and considered safe for healthy athletes when used correctly. Yet, despite its safety, it shouldn’t be treated as a quick performance supplement to use on race day. Because individual digestive systems react differently to sodium bicarbonate, athletes are recommended to test it during high-intensity training sessions before using it on race day. Rather than a daily dietary supplement, bicarb is taken as a single dose roughly two hours before a race. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate isn’t for every sport; it works best in high-intensity, maximal-effort activities lasting between 30 seconds and 12 minutes. Sodium bicarbonate is a powerful tool in modern athletics, but remember: leave the raw baking soda in the kitchen cabinet.