Sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves severe-intensity intermittent exercise under moderate acute hypoxic...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Human Performance

Background:

• Acute moderate hypoxia impairs exercise performance by increasing hydrogen cation (H+) production, leading to acidic stress.
• Understanding strategies to counteract hypoxic effects on performance is crucial for athletes and researchers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation on severe-intensity intermittent exercise performance under acute moderate hypoxic conditions.
• To determine if NaHCO3 can alleviate exercise-induced acidic stress and enhance performance during hypoxia.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, crossover study involving 11 recreationally active individuals under normobaric hypoxic conditions (FiO2 = 14.5%).
• Participants ingested either NaHCO3 or a placebo (sodium chloride) before performing intermittent exercise tests to exhaustion.
• Time to reach peak bicarbonate anion concentrations ([HCO3-]) was determined pre-experimentally.

Main Results:

• NaHCO3 supplementation significantly enhanced exercise tolerance (by 110.9 s) and work performed in the severe-intensity domain (by 5.8 kJ).
• Higher post-exercise blood lactate concentrations were observed with NaHCO3.
• Elevated blood [HCO3-] and pH were maintained throughout exercise in the NaHCO3 condition.

Conclusions:

• Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) demonstrates an ergogenic effect during acute moderate hypoxic intermittent exercise.
• NaHCO3 supplementation can be a viable strategy to mitigate performance decrements associated with hypoxic exposure.
• Further research can explore optimal dosing and timing for NaHCO3 under various hypoxic intensities.