How Baking Soda Helps an Athlete During Exercise: All That You Should Know About the Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate on Training

When it comes to professional body-building or training of an athlete for a particular sport, there should be no compromise on foods and supporting supplements. There are food supplements which need to be taken if the required amount of nutrients is not derived from natural sources. Then there are ergogenic supplements like caffeine, creatine which boost athletic performance. One such supplement is baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Let's take a look at how baking soda can help an athlete during exercise and also throw lights on its effect, way of consumption, etc. Magnesium Deficiency Affects Your Performance During Intense Workout Session; Know What Food to Consume For Sufficient Magnesium Intake.

The primary goal of any athlete is to train at his best in order to perform well during competition. This involves heavy weight training, along with cardio exercises and conditioning training. Apart from that, a sportsperson also needs to devote time for practising the game. The performances might get hampered if they are not supported with an easily available ergogenic supplement in the right way. Baking soda supplement can play a big role in enhancing the performance of an athlete. WORST Exercises and Workout Mistakes That Will RUIN Your Fitness Goals.

How Baking Soda Helps During Exercise 

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, sodium bicarbonate is among the leading ergogenic supplements which aid in delaying muscle fatigue and, thereby, improve performance. After spending a certain amount of time during an anaerobic workout session, an athlete might experience nausea and dizziness. This is an indication that an athlete's pH levels have become acidic. Baking soda basically helps avoid the body from reaching a fatigue stage during vigorous training by preventing the pH level to become acidic. The intake of sodium bicarbonate prior to a strenuous session can help avoid pH level from dropping to 7.1. In fact, it aids in increasing the value to around 7.5 while exercising, thus, increasing the time before reaching fatigue.

Sodium Bicarbonate Effect on Training

According to  a study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 'NaHCO3 ingestion has been proposed to enhance performance by increasing extracellular buffering capacity.' This statement clearly states that sodium bicarbonate helps in creating a better chemical environment of muscles by maintaining cellular level in the body. Baking soda also does the work of binding with hydrogen ions released during high-intensity exercise, and this, in turn, buffers the acidic environment and enables enhanced energy output during challenging workouts.

It is recommended to take 200-300 mg of sodium bicarbonate per kg of the body weight. This should be taken at least 120 to 150 minutes before an intense workout. Baking soda should be taken by mixing it in a glass of water. Initially, an athlete should start with 200 mg dosage and should not experiment this supplement before the main competition. This supplement should be tried during regular training days as baking soda might cause a gastrointestinal problem to a few people. If the body gets adapted to baking soda, the dosage can be increased to 300 mg and then can also be taken prior to the main event for better performance.

(This article is written for an informative purpose and should not be substituted for medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor before trying any tips.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2020 06:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).