Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Sodium bicarbonate improves swimming performance.

A M Lindh1, M C Peyrebrune, S A Ingham

  • 1School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom.

International Journal of Sports Medicine
|November 16, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Heart failure-related elevation of carbohydrate antigen 125 identified by pre-operative cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Anaesthesia reports·2025
Same author

Supervised exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness and reduces perioperative risk in peripheral artery disease patients with intermittent claudication.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England·2023
Same author

Mid-infrared interference coatings with excess optical loss below 10 ppm.

Optica·2022
Same author

Personal protective equipment impairs pulmonary gas exchange causing systemic hypercapnia-hypoxaemia and cerebral hyperperfusion-induced cephalalgia.

The British journal of surgery·2021
Same author

Effect of a novel viral filter on cardiopulmonary exercise testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anaesthesia·2021
Same author

Muscle architecture and morphology as determinants of explosive strength.

European journal of applied physiology·2021
Same journal

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
Same journal

Exercise Intensity Effects on Irisin in Master Athletes and Links With Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Body Fat.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
Same journal

Evolution of the Australian Institute of Sport Supplement Program over the last 25 years.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
Same journal

Preseason Passive Torque Asymmetries in Soccer Players with Hamstring Strain Injury.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
Same journal

Musculoskeletal Burden in German Equestrians: Hip-Specific Symptoms and Risk Factors.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
Same journal

Trans-inclusion in sports: history, scientific evidence and future directions.

International journal of sports medicine·2026
See all related articles

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) supplementation enhances 200m freestyle swimming performance in elite males by increasing buffering capacity. This ergogenic aid improves race times, likely due to its effects on blood pH and bicarbonate levels.

Area of Science:

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Sports Science
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Sodium bicarbonate (SB) is known to improve high-intensity exercise performance.
  • Its specific effects on single-bout swimming performance remain under-investigated.
  • Elite male swimmers may benefit from SB supplementation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of SB supplementation on 200m freestyle swimming performance.
  • To assess physiological changes associated with SB ingestion during maximal swimming efforts.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized, double-blind, counterbalanced trial with 9 elite male swimmers.
  • Swimmers completed maximal 200m freestyle swims under three conditions: control, SB (300 mg/kg), and placebo (200 mg/kg).
  • SB and placebo were ingested 60-90 minutes prior to each trial.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Mean 200m performance times were significantly faster with SB compared to control and placebo (p < 0.05).
  • Pre-exercise base excess, pH, and blood bicarbonate were elevated in the SB trial (p < 0.05).
  • Post-exercise blood lactate concentrations were significantly higher after the SB trial (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Sodium bicarbonate supplementation can improve 200m freestyle swimming performance in elite male competitors.
  • The performance enhancement is likely attributed to an increased buffering capacity.
  • SB influences key physiological markers related to acid-base balance during intense exercise.