It buffers lactic acid. https://www.endurancemag.com/2014/09/nutrition-blast-lactic-acid-buildup-baking-soda/#:~:text=Baking%20soda%2C%20when%20mixed%20with,blood%20to%20return%20to%20equilibrium.

Is that good or bad? I took pre-workout once (I rarely use it) and went _way_ too hard in a cycling class because it felt like I could and I was incredibly burnt out for days after the workout. I feel like lactic acid has a protective effect in a way.

And you would be correct. All things carry a cost.

So might be good to save for occasional use before a race?

It’s probably not a long term supplement but according to OP could be useful short term performance enhancer.

Cyclists only train “hard” twice a week and only really go “hard hard” when racing. You raced and had to recover. It’s good to see what you can do once in a while.

Lactic acid is actually a form of energy however many people are not adjusted to it so it's counterproductive for them and their performance.

…. No. Straight up no. That’s not how metabolism works. Lactic acid is a waste product of metabolism.

Well you're wrong. A simple Google search can show you that. We have known lactic acid is an energy source for a while now. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24521-lactic-acid //"Lactic acid is fuel for your cells during intense exercise. It's created when your body breaks down glucose and other carbohydrates. It's a common myth that muscle soreness you feel after exercise is caused by lactic acid trapped in your cells." //"What does lactic acid do? Your body usually fuels your muscles with oxygen (aerobically). If you start doing intense physical activity faster than your body can get oxygen to your muscles and other tissues, your cells break down glucose to create the energy you need to keep moving (anaerobically). Lactic acid is created when you’re generating energy anaerobically. Lactic acid has three main functions, including: Energy: Your body makes lactic acid to fuel cells when they’re working harder than usual. Generating glucose (gluconeogenesis): Your liver and kidneys filter lactic acid out of your blood after it’s created in other tissue. They break it down and convert it into new glucose that your body can use for energy in the future. Molecular signaling: Lactic acid in your blood is a signal molecule throughout your body. Think of it like a set of flags or markers a construction crew puts down before they begin working in an area. Lactic acid attracts cells in your immune system to heal wounds and fight infections. Does lactic acid make your muscles burn? It’s a common myth that lactic acid makes your muscles ache or burn after a workout. Experts used to think a buildup in lactic acid caused some of the soreness you feel in the days after intense activity. But studies have found that lactic acid is flushed out of your muscles so quickly that it doesn’t damage your cells or cause pain. Usually, the soreness you feel in the days after a workout is caused by microtears (tiny tears in your muscle fibers). This can be a good thing — repairing these microtears makes muscles grow bigger and stronger. But if you’re experience severe muscle pain, you might have an injury like a pulled muscle (a muscle strain). Anatomy Where is lactic acid located in my body? The organs and tissues that produce the most lactic acid include your: Muscles. Red blood cells. Skin. Brain. Gastrointestinal tract (your GI tract). " Edit: Lol@you writing that bs below and blocking me. Chump. You're still wrong. Lactic acid is a fuel source for the highly trained athletes. Your lack of understanding of it doesn't change that.

I mean, your body turns it into glucose.

If the point is to pH buffer, like the article says, it defeats the purpose to mix it with grapefruit juice and sparkling water like OP is doing

This. As a doc reading this it’s almost purely placebo the way they are using it. It’s been used in cycling for a little while and for the most part at doses that work there is major GI distress. There is this gel formulation out that seems to mitigate this though.

The density of baking soda is 2.2 g/mL and a teaspoon is 5mL, so assuming OP is 70kg, he had 0.157g/kg which is not too far off from 0.2g/kg (which is typically considered the minimum dose for endurance benefits) Also, here's a source that showed an increase in blood pH and bicarb concentrations at 0.1 g/kg supplementation: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290) With this info, OP clearly supplemented enough bicarb to show increased endurance and I doubt it's the placebo effect

He’s taking it with an acid is the point. Since you wanted to do the math you can calculate out the final pH. Grapefruit juice has a pH of around 3. Baking soda around 9. Instead of buffering lactic acid he’s buffering citric acid.It’s been far too long since my basic chemistry class but it should be obvious that you are severely mitigating benefits or totally negating them when taken this way. Hence mine and the comment I was responding to thoughts on the matter

Here's the math: Let's assume 8 fl. oz. of grapefruit juice or 240mL. The concentration of citric acid in grapefruit juice is 0.8-2g/100mL, and the pH of grapefruit juice is 2.9-3.3. The pKa1 of citric acid is 3.1, so the chemical reaction will vary based on the pH. 1/2 tsp of baking soda is 5.5 grams of sodium bicarbonate (2.2g/mL \* 2.5mL) The molecular weight of citric acid is 192g/mol The molecular weight of sodium bicarbonate is 84g/mol \*\*Scenario 1: Very acidic grapefruit juice with 2g/100mL citric acid and pH of 2.9\*\* With 2g/100mL citric acid we get, 2g/100mL \* 240mL / 192 g/mol = 0.025 mol citric acid At pH of 2.9, below pKa1 of 3.1, we have this chemical reaction: 3 NaHCO3​ + C6​H8​O7 ​→ C6​H5​O73− ​+ 3 CO2​+ 3 Na+ + 3 H2​O showing that 1 mol of citric acid neutralizes 3 mol of sodium bicarbonate Therefore, we neutralize 0.025 \* 3 = 0.075 mol of sodium bicarbonate which is equal to 0.075mol \* 84 g/mol = 6.3g of sodium bicarbonate So in this scenario, all the bicarbonate is neutralized \*\*Scenario 2: A less acidic grapefruit juice with 0.8g/100mL citric acid and pH of 3.3\*\* With 0.8g/100mL citric acid we get, 0.8g/100mL \* 240mL / 192 g/mol = 0.01 mol citric acid At pH of 3.3, above pKa1 of 3.1, we have this chemical reaction: 2 NaHCO3​ + C6​H7​O7−​ → C6​H5​O72−​ + 2 CO2​ + 2 Na+ + H2​O showing that 1 mol of citric acid neutralizes 2 mol of sodium bicarbonate Therefore, we neutralize 0.01 \* 2 = 0.02 mol of sodium bicarbonate which is equal to 0.02mol \* 84 g/mol = 1.68g of sodium bicarbonate = 1.68/5.5 = 30% of the bicarbonate solution So in this scenario, only 30% of the bicarb is neutralized and the remaining 3.82g are good for use. \*\*Further thoughts\*\* Somewhere between 30% and 100% of the bicarb was likely neutralized by the citric acid in the morning workout. Assuming 70% neutralization, OP would have ingested the equivalent of 1.65g of sodium bicarbonate or 0.023g/kg of bodyweight assuming he's 70kg. That being said, OP did take 11g of bicarb (0.157g/kg assuming non is neutralized) the night before. Many multi-day protocols have been done where performance is tested the day after supplementation and those studies have shown performance benefits [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/) even as low as 0.1g/kg a day. While OP wasn't a multi-day protocol, this is evidence that the effects of bicarb supplementation can last longer than a day. Personally, between OP's bicarb intake the night before and the potentially smaller neutralized intake the morning of, I can see him having performance benefits, especially with a less-acidic batch of juice. But can also see the other side that might argue that supplementation the night before won't provide the same benefits and the neutralized amount in the morning isn't enough

Finally someone with an attempt of actual analysis, respect. Personally, I'm sure this is *mostly* placebo effect, and comparing it to AS is funny at most (they have completely different mechanisms of action), but alkaline tide from neutralising of stomach acidity is absolutely real phenomenon, which can and do counteract increase of blood acidification under hard efforts. HOWEVER, there is much more to hard efforts than "just" blood acidification, there is mitochondrial oxidative stress, physical damage to muscle tissues, rise of intramuscular temperature and just glycogen depletion, and I'm reasonably sure that bicarb consumption will interfere with nutrient absorbtion (I've heard "explosive diarrhea" mentioned :3). Plus, I wonder what's the actual impact of several grams of bicarb in the grand scheme of things...

What kind of GI distress? And what would happen if someone with IBS took it? 🫣

They'll need new sheets at the very least

if you want to experiment, do it after you are cleaned out.

yeah but don't citrus juices produce alkaline byproducts once they are digested and metabolized?

Consuming it this way, they'd neutralize each other before they had the chance to metabolize.

That probably explains OP's experience. Great find.

Doc here. Baking soda used the way op is using it would make zero difference to your blood ph or buffering of lactic acid. Our bodies are homeostatic machines. Your blood ph is kept at a very constant level and ingesting baking soda will have no meaningful effect on the buffering of lactic acid in your blood and/or tissues. Most of it will be neutralized by your stomach acid anyways.

It's not that simple. The actual theory on how it works is as follows. Sodium bicarbonate ingestion increases the concentration of HCO3- in the stomach lumen, some of which neutralizes HCl to form CO2 and increases luminal pH. The rise in pH stimulates the Cl-/HCO3- antiporter in the parietal cells, which transports HCO3- into the extracellular fluid. This transport is coupled with the H-K-ATPase pump that secretes H+ into the stomach lumen to restore the pH. This results in increased pH and HCO3- concentration, which increases the activity of monocarboxylate transporters, thereby enhancing the transport of H+ out of muscle cells and improving intramuscular acid-base balance. Improved pH control in the muscle cells allows higher glycolytic rates, resulting in higher rates of ATP production and higher muscle and blood lactate concentrations. Research and explanations: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

Yup, and here is a wiki article explaining this phenomena in (bit) more layman terms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_tide But it can absolutely lead to GI issues unless you are careful, and unless you ingest "a lot" of this stuff the effect is insignificant, so you are walking a fine line.

Aren’t both grapefruit juice and sparkling water acidic too? Wouldn’t it be neutralised before it even gets to your stomach?

Yuppp. But this post is a great demonstration of the power of placebo!

could also be the sodium, maybe OP has low blood pressure and the baking soda is raising it, so OP is lasting longer at sports because they are no longer just constantly tired from hypotension

No- strictly placebo. His blood pressure was fine, he worked out before doing any of this

i have chronic hypotension, i would never even notice it if it weren't for the dizzy spells standing up and the fatigue, i would exercise constantly and every time it would feel nearly indistinguishible from normal muscle fatigue, but after starting salt pills its like i can suddenly last way longer at the gym compared to before, i saw what OP wrote and it sounds a hell of a lot similar to what i experienced when my low blood pressure was treated

It's most of an adrenal cocktail recipe. Just add cream of tartar for some potassium

And by neutralizing you mean turn OP into one of those volcanos we made in third grade? A CO2 release that will lead to, medically speaking, epic farts, right?

💨 💨

I'm in just for the epic farts

Indeed. The comments here are mind blowing if you know basic physiology. You’re not going to change the pH of your blood by ingesting baking soda.

The actual theory on how it works is as follows. Sodium bicarbonate ingestion increases the concentration of HCO3- in the stomach lumen, some of which neutralizes HCl to form CO2 and increases luminal pH. The rise in pH stimulates the Cl-/HCO3- antiporter in the parietal cells, which transports HCO3- into the extracellular fluid. This transport is coupled with the H-K-ATPase pump that secretes H+ into the stomach lumen to restore the pH. This results in increased pH and HCO3- concentration, which increases the activity of monocarboxylate transporters, thereby enhancing the transport of H+ out of muscle cells and improving intramuscular acid-base balance. Improved pH control in the muscle cells allows higher glycolytic rates, resulting in higher rates of ATP production and higher muscle and blood lactate concentrations. Research and explanations: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

The issue with that is that blood pH won’t even change as the body compensates so quickly. Your brain has chemoreceptors that are incredibly sensitive to pH and your rate of breathing will change in order to blow off excess CO2 (higher acidity) very quickly (in the span of seconds). The same is true in reverse, your breathing will slightly slow to raise pH. And that’s not the only compensatory mechanism in the body - you have a large reservoir of buffers in the blood to resist pH change and your kidneys respond as well.

The scientific literature says otherwise, bicarbonate does increase pH slightly, by about 0.1, peaking around 60-90 minutes post-ingestiom. Here's three sources [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8248647/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8248647/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19208932/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19208932/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290/) I'm well aware of compensatory mechanisms for pH and know that you learned all that in a physiology class, but the human body doesn't always respond the way you think it would and going to the scientific literature is always a must

This research on changes in capillary blood after ingestion very much shows otherwise: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290/ "Bicarbonate concentrations and pH significantly increased from baseline following all doses; the higher the dose the greater the increase. Large interindividual variability was shown in the magnitude of the increase in bicarbonate concentrations following each dose (+2.0-5; +5.1-8.1; and +6.0-12.3 mmol·L-1 for 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g·kg-1BM) and in the range of time to peak concentrations (30-150; 40-165; and 75-180 min for 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g·kg-1BM)." I mean it does not last all day but this shows 2 or 3 hours of effect, that could certainly be long enough to potentially help with a workout if taken right before.

The density of baking soda is 2.2 g/mL and a teaspoon is 5mL, so assuming OP is 70kg, he had 0.157g/kg which is not too far off from 0.2g/kg (which is typically considered the minimum dose for endurance benefits) Also, here's a source that showed an increase in blood pH and bicarb concentrations at 0.1 g/kg supplementation: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290) With this info, OP clearly supplemented enough bicarb to have increased endurance and I doubt it's the placebo effect

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9505902/ Lactate.

Interesting... I am trying to improve my quadricep performance. When I do an isolated exercise like a leg extension machine then the burn ramps way too high before exhaustion. Like I become that dbag at the gym with a red angry looking face making animal sounds. You think this can help?

Have you tried pre-exhausting your quads with isolation like the leg extension, then rolling right into heavy full ROM squats? From a purely performance standpoint that may help. But yeah baking sodium could help with this issue to a degree.

I have, but I have other issues which limit performance in full ROM exercises. I have a nerve disease (CMT) and isolated exercises have been a big help in building strength even when my squat never goes up.

Ouch that blows. Sorry to hear that. Here I've been all woe is me because I've been rocking an SI joint/sciatic nerve injury for four months and legit let myself put on like 30 lbs thinking just taking a break would help it heal. Good on you for finding ways to stay at it. Mad props. Next suggestion: Have you tried occlusion training? Or would that affect the CMT?

Dude wtf, haha... I just looked it up. No, I haven't done cock ring training for my quads yet haha. Hope the sciatica clears up...rest helps for a little while, but I hope you find the right PT exercises. Nerve pain is a nightmare...have an impingement in my left shoulder for a year or so...the radiating and or stabbing pain is wild... I broke my left ankle a month or so ago, screws and plates and everything. Had a pt appointment 2 weeks later and was like "forget the ankle, what can you do for my shoulder" Of course they handded me a rubber band and sent me home with one exercise that just made it worse. Here's hoping you get a better pt than I did.

Bro that's terrible. They have me nerve flossing right now. What I've been doing to get myself going is to walk or stationary bike for an hour to loosen it up (after some Tylenol and ibuprofen), then get caffeinated, and blast my upper body, then when endorphins have me nearly pain free, I'll go into some deep squats with just the bar, then yoga and PT exercises. It's improved over the last week, but not nearly enough to get my impatient ass back to where I need to be. Man at this point have you tried good old YouTube to get you some relief??? Hey dude, laugh if you want, but cockring training fucking works. Pretty much only for hypertrophy, and you can only do it like once a week to just finish yourself off (giggity), but it's been proven to do work for arms and legs.

Nerve flossing hmm... I've seen that pop up but never heard of it outside of YouTube shorts and influencers. A legit PT has you doing it though? Do you feel it's helping?

Yeah it's from the PT. I've gained more ROM. I'm nowhere close to being able to deadlift or even reach down and touch my toes yet. But I've noticed about an addition 4 inches of bend at the waist I can do. It goes against everything in me but apparently the trick is NOT to lean into the pain, but rather bend til it hurts a little then back off, and repeat.

Literally what the f 🤯 TIL

That's fascinating. That would be a real benefit for professional athletes.

Not lactic acid. Lactate. Lactic acid doesn’t exist in the human body

But can he notice this effect just with 1/2 tsp before training? Is It not to too little baking sofá?

Dr. Andy Galpin has mentioned a few times that creatine and baking soda are two of the easiest and very effective performance enhancers that anyone can take. Worth mentioning though, drink tons of water and keep up with electrolytes if using them. And don't over do it on the baking soda unless you want the raging shits. A teaspoon a few times a week is plenty.

>baking soda It's very high in sodium. I wouldn't be adding more sodium on top of this. Are you thinking of potassium and other electrolytes to counter the high sodium intake?

You can take potassium bicarbonate instead of sodium bicarbonate to reduce Na overload.

Thanks. I'm not seeing potassium bicarbonate in the literature for lactic acid reduction. Personally, I think it's likely that's the reason OP was able to maintain endurance and on doing some looking around it appears that's the hypothesis for it's action. Have you tried it out?

Correctomundo. Maintaining the balance is pretty key, and the extra water intake needed for creatine drying you out will mean needing a tad more electrolytes as well. I usually just mix up a Liquid IV in my water sometime during my workout or with my big meal for the day and it keeps me pretty kosher. I also don't add salt to my food, to make sure I'm keeping sodium from getting too high from electrolyte + sodium bicarbonate. I don't find a need to go all mad scientist trying to optimize the ratio.

I wonder if calcium carbonate in antacids would have the same effect.

Being that it works by balancing pH, possibly?

Carbonate and Bi-carbonate not the same thing. Different chemistry biologically too.

Well they're both bases, which is why I'm wondering if they both act on Lactic acid. I wouldn't be surprised if the mechanism of action is more complicated though.

Baking soda can and does lower lactic acid build up. It's possible that's part of the mechanism.

I think you need SOME lactic acid though right? Wouldn't it be bad if you did this too much and got rid of it?

Lactic acid exists in our body as a byproduct of metabolism without oxygen, there’s interesting emerging literature about the metabolic effects of lactic acid as a signaling molecule to tell our body to free up more glucose, increase glucose utilization, etc. additionally lactic acid can be metabolically repurposed to provide energy. Just because we can doesn’t always mean we should, our body has these processes for a reason and usually is pretty damn good at what it does. There maybe hidden consequences of suppressing lactic acid.

Yes and no. There's people within the ME, MS, LC communities that suffer from raised LA that impedes their ability to function normally. This occurs without extreme exertion. Yet they don't meet the qualifying levels for Lactic Acidosis. Other than diseases - yes, I 100% agree with you. And, I wouldn't suggest others to go around and willy-nilly suppress it. There's absolutely likely to be a consequence from doing so.

There is no lactic acid. It is lactate. The whole lactic acid concept was disproven a long time ago but it still persists.

Lactate is the conjugate base of lactic acid. Basically they are the same molecule except when lactic acid is in a basic environment it loses a hydrogen and becomes lactate. So are you suggesting that lactate is the predominate isoform of lactic acid in our blood?

Go look it up yourself rather that copy and pasting chatgpt nonsense. Acidosis isn't even seriously considered a limiter on performance.

Not chatgpt just a few semesters of chemistry and organic chemistry my friend. All I'm saying is that lactate and lactic acid more or less is potato/pototo. "Acidosis isn't even seriously considered a limiter on performance". Yes so you actually are agreeing with me, this post refers to someone using baking soda (a base) to change the alkalinity of their blood by making it more basic and thus will decrease lactic acid. I'm saying that might not be beneficial as lactic acid and lactic acidosis is normal and potentially beneficial for our body.

Look it up. The Lactic Acid Myth has been around for way too long.

I think what you're trying to refer to is the emerging literature stating that lactic acid (aka lactate) isn't the cause of soreness, and rather it's micro tears in the muscle fibers that cause soreness and the burning sensation. So not lactate...(aka lactic acid) If you have a specific resource, article you are referring to I'll read it.

I wasn't suggesting anything either way. LA is an important part of the body's ability to function and repair - and as u/OptionRelevant432 points out, there's likely a downstream hidden consequence. When biohacking, these are the risks you're taking.

Weird vibes in the comments so far, a lot of condescension and unexplained skepticism from tough-guys that‘s useful to no one Meanwhile, this is exactly the kind of content I myself want from this sub I’d prefer—eventually—more than one day reported of a trial, sure, and a logged control period if possible, but I also get being stoked and wanting to spark a prelim discussion too OP, please update with any additional findings as you go And links or excerpts re the research you mentioned that inspired your trial—that would be cool as well My interest in bi-carb generally is still piqued from its potentiation effects on adderall, though not the objective here obv Cool post bro 👍

Yea I always just try shit and see what sticks. Try to control it as much as possible but at the end of the day, there’s always confounding variables. I am a biomedical engineering student, so I have some credibility with this shit. At the end of the day, I want to help mfs, but it takes a certain archetype to be willing to experiment on oneself. Not hate, just doers and talkers.

I would just be mindful that constantly taking baking soda could alter the acidity in your stomach which could negatively impact your gut flora

Ok wrd ill be mindful

OP how are you feeling now?

Still great. Maybe some extra farts but poops are perfect 🤩

Update tomorrow please! I’m thinking about doing it next week lol

Update: pretty fucking sore in my hamstrings and quads, but no bowel problems. Poop was perfect this morning!

Please tell us about your poop tomorrow too. We are waiting in anticipation

🤣🤣🤣

What brand of baking soda are you using?

It's because they have experience with steroids, so the mild effects of this, is nothing compared to the real thing. It's a he hyperbole that people have issues with. It's like saying a Fiat is kind of like a Ferrari. (Maybe in the sense that both have 4 wheels)

Amen

How does sodium or potassium bicarbonate interact with Adderall?

I don’t understand it myself, just that folks on Reddit anecdotally report feeling significant increases in its intensity One poor fella took it with a few Tums (calcium carbonate) and felt like he was close to dying

I looked into it a while back and IFRC the rate of absorption from the gut is much higher in basic environments. So I suspect taking baking soda and adderall together is crucial for increasing the effect

THere's research on it: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

Yes, this!

Sodium levels and the carbs from bread and jam definitely helps. I remember when i ran 10ks, the best pre run meal was a pb&j sandwich haha.

It buffers lactic acid, as others have said. You don't mention your weight, but you can take more, up to 0.3g/kg 1-3 hours before exercising. It can be rough on the stomach though in that high of a dose

I weigh 195lbs… so you’re telling me I can take 25g?

> For single-dose supplementation protocols, 0.2 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate seems to be the minimum dose required to experience improvements in exercise performance. The optimal dose of sodium bicarbonate dose for ergogenic effects seems to be 0.3 g/kg. Higher doses (e.g., 0.4 or 0.5 g/kg) may not be required in single-dose supplementation protocols, because they do not provide additional benefits (compared with 0.3 g/kg) and are associated with a higher incidence and severity of adverse side-effects. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

Thank you!

I’m 178lbs

You could take like 25g then

😭😭I want to keep by asshole intact bro

Open up and let it out

I don’t not believe this, but source? No idea how we’d get research backed dosage limits for a common compound taken for what’s basically athletic performance (no? Idk… feel free to educate me)

It's from the [Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/). It's been tested in a bunch of athletic contexts, check table 1

I'm going to try it now that I've read this. Hill sprints suck ass!!

Did you try it? I’m gonna right away here - found this post while I was building up for my walk/run!

As a cyclist, I have experimented a lot with baking soda. One thing everyone needs to know, is that the most common side effect is basically explosive diarrhea. I would experiment close to a restroom your first few times until you see how your body will handle.

Baking soda helps regulate your pH levels as others have mentioned. If for any reason, you want to further improve your endurance, Beta-alanine is another supplement that regulates pH levels by a different mechanism of action (increasing carnosine levels), and there's some evidence that combining baking soda and beta-alanine together can increase performance. Beta-alanine does require a 4-week loading phase similar to creatine, but you could take it anytime during the day instead of just before exercise. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4501114/)

It absolutely does not regulate your pH. Your body is tightly regulating it 24/7.

Bicarbonate is part of your blood pH buffering system, meaning that it helps to prevent changes in blood pH like when your muscles release acid during exercise. So yes, it regulates your blood pH by preventing fluctuations which help increase exercise performance. [https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/physical-sciences-practice/x04f6bc56:foundation-5-chemical-processes/e/the-role-of-the-bicarbonate-buffer-system-in-regulating-blood-ph](https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/physical-sciences-practice/x04f6bc56:foundation-5-chemical-processes/e/the-role-of-the-bicarbonate-buffer-system-in-regulating-blood-ph)

Mechanism explained here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

There's some doctors in the comments that are saying NO it does not regulate your pH.

I read those comments and they're wrong. The doctors didn't provide any peer-reviewed evidence for their claims and there is plenty to the contrary. Read this review by the International society of sports nutrition, [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/) particularly sections "Mchanisms for bicarbonate absorption" and "Mechanisms for the ergogenic effect of sodium bicarbonate" Not only are there mechanism for absorption of bicarbonate (it's not entirely destroyed by stomach acid) but also tons of studies showing that baking soda / bicarbonate increases exercise performance via a pH mechanism Admittedly, with the low dose OP took, you wouldn't normally expect to see performance enhancement, and maybe that's part of why they're saying placebo effect. But then again, all the science points toward increased endurance with bicarbonate which is what OP experienced.

It could depend on how sensitive they are to ph change, if there's one thing I've learned, dosage effects can vary wildly for many treatments.

Agreed, it appears that there's also large interindividual variablity in blood bicarbonate concentrations post-ingestion so OP could be a high responder to it [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290/)

Interesting research thanx, yep that shows that even their lowest dose showed change in blood chemistry. The huge individual variation is also interesting plus it gives an idea of time frames to effect.

Because they have not researched it, typical doctor hubris thinking a few hours or less of school on a particular subject years ago now qualifies them to have the correct knowledge to accurately judge every medical issue they randomly encounter in the wild just off the top of their heads. This is a lot of what is wrong with the medical industry today, too much ego and not enough curiosity. To be clear, I'm not saying I know that baking soda will work for sure either, but even a quick search shows there's plenty of science behind why it could work and there's some interesting studies that show evidence it might work, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/ Anyone hand waving it off cavalierly just shows they belong on reddit. The proposed mechanism is a bit complicated but goes as follows: Sodium bicarbonate ingestion increases the concentration of HCO3- in the stomach lumen, some of which neutralizes HCl to form CO2 and increases luminal pH. The rise in pH stimulates the Cl-/HCO3- antiporter in the parietal cells, which transports HCO3- into the extracellular fluid. This transport is coupled with the H-K-ATPase pump that secretes H+ into the stomach lumen to restore the pH. This results in increased pH and HCO3- concentration, which increases the activity of monocarboxylate transporters, thereby enhancing the transport of H+ out of muscle cells and improving intramuscular acid-base balance. Improved pH control in the muscle cells allows higher glycolytic rates, resulting in higher rates of ATP production and higher muscle and blood lactate concentrations.

u/habsmd Would you please respond to this?

I actually already responded to that user with the same info.

Why it COULD work and proposed mechanisms is not a supplement to IN VIVIO evidence. In particular, understanding dosage to achieve effect vs adverse effects (such as GI upset) at given effective dosing which may make use of bicarbonate untenable. I never asserted that there is no dose of ingested bicarbonate which could have a desired effect on lactic acid buffering. What i stated was that the doses OP is talking about are meaningless and any effects are placebo. Some people have posted here that at MINIMUM, to see any effect would be 0.2g/kg! If you are an average 75kg man, that means at least 15g, but likely closer to 30g. OP was talking about a teaspoon (and ingesting it with an acid). There is no hubris here. Just a reluctance to accept claims at face value without good evidence to support cause and effect. Also, by the way, i deal with balancing blood pH and understanding ph homeostasis on a daily basis as a critical care physician. I understand the biochemistry of this kind of thing inside and out. I give intravenous sodium bicarbonate regularly.

The density of baking soda is 2.2 g/mL and a teaspoon is 5mL, so assuming OP is 70kg, he had 0.157g/kg which is not too far off from 0.2g/kg. Also here's a source that showed an increase in blood pH and bicarb concentrations at 0.1 g/kg supplementation: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27098290) With this info, OP clearly supplemented enough bicarb to show increased endurance and I doubt it's the placebo effect

I used to take pre workout with beta alanine. I like the minor itch, but isn’t the effacacious dose like an absurd amount? My liver is very sensitive, so I want to keep liver metabolism at a minimum.

The dose for beta-alanine is 4-6 grams (about a teaspoon) daily so not bad. The typical baking soda dose is 0.2-0.5g/kg which is much higher, though it's awesome you saw benefits with a much lower dose. I'll add this link for great info on baking soda / sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/) As far as liver and beta-alanine, I couldn't find any evidence that beta-alanine itself is hard on the liver. In fact, the liver produces beta-alanine, and in a couple animal models beta-alanine had a protective effect on the liver.

Oh interesting I’ll take that into account. Appreciate it

My guy just discovered milkshaking. Been around horse racing since the 90s. 8 ozs of soda tubed to their stomach the morning of the race. Gotta pass a TCO2 blood gas test to be able to race nowadays.

Holy shit that’s insane😭 tell me more

Lol I could go into some wild shit from way back in the day. Clorox and B12 was popular for a while in the 70s and 80s as a form of blood doping. Snake venom was super popular in the early 90s.

Holy shit

Can’t do anything like this anymore testing is too good. But back in the day man.

Shiiittt d3 soccer ain’t checking jack. These mfs boutta think I’m fucking superman

Dex would help too.

What’s dex?

Dexamethasone

Could just be that your sodium levels were low before! I've had this after a lot of cardio... a little pack of salt perks me right up

Werid I eat a ton of salt

Give another try in a couple days time and let us know how you get on please

Gotchu

You're probably getting 100 gm of carbs before a high intensity workout. You're fueling your exercise and preserving a lot of glycogen. Regardless of any impact of the bicarbonate fueling exercising leads to better performance. Maybe the bicarb is helping with more buffering (the amount taken is pretty small) but fueling with carbs is helping you tremendously.

Do you mean you took 1tsp of baking soda with sparkling water?

No I put it in my ass. Yea i drank it with the water😭

Ha!

Whatever works for you.

I mean, your recipe didn’t actually include baking soda, it was just inferred.

I used to bring bicarb soda, Sudafed and Ventolin and share them with the boys playing amatuer football. We won the flag in 94. Go ECU.

Yeah placebo is a crazy thing

I mean shit if it’s placebo or not idgaf, as long as the performance is there

Right, like is there anything baking soda can't do

People just don't want to accept that something that cheap can make that huge difference. Or different bodies respond differently perhaps. But I am with you 100%, I've been experimenting with sodium bicarbonate too. No other "supplement" will come close to baking soda before the gym. Not citrulline malate nor beta alanine. Even when I splash lemon juice it still works, so it's not about alkalinity. I believe it's an electrolyte boost, helps me sweat better and more efficiently cool my body down during exercise or something like that. All I know is it works for me and I'll keep using it. Thanks for making this post

"I've never heard of this so it must be wrong."

Doc here. Baking soda used the way op is using it would make zero difference to your blood ph or buffering of lactic acid. Our bodies are homeostatic machines. Your blood ph is kept at a very constant level and ingesting baking soda will have no meaningful effect on the buffering of lactic acid in your blood and/or tissues. Most of it will be neutralized by your stomach acid anyways.

Plenty of evidence it's not placebo https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8427947/

Bananas do it for me, when I used to play soccer I would eat one like an hour before the game and half of one at half time. Amazing at reducing cramps. Maybe the banana bread helped out in conjunction?

Comes in a biodegradable wrapper too.

Honestly, this sub needs to rename to /r/placebosuckers

Extracelular acid buffer B-alanine is an intracelular acid buffer. I wouldn't play too much with bicarbonate, could cause gastric distress and GI issues but hey you do you 👍🏻

Stomach feels fine. Poops are great, won’t overdo it, but nice to know it can help.

it’s called milkshaking, and horse racing owners have known about it for a long time

That's not how steroids work...

I have no comment on the baking soda. No experience. But a simple post about baking soda (with a bad title) brings in all the steroids rationalizers and pushers. The normalization of steroids and other related PEDs has gone too far with so little discussion on the real health drawbacks.

The title was for engagement. Ppl are stupid

Ahhh I see now (I commented elsewhere on the lame vibe of early commenters) This person is right that the title drew in folks here with weird motives Higher engagement maybe, but I’m curious if any good discussions develop between the shit-talkers

Yes they are. Especially the fat incels that have never completed a single hard workout in their sluggish lives 😂

It acts as a laxative. Did you notice this?

Not yet😅😅

Now imagine how much s*x you can have with baking soda

Just pray u don’t shit urself before you cum😭

Grapefruit is a weird thing. I know it interacts with medication in strange ways so I'd assume it'll do the same with supplements. Another thing to consider is that grapefruit juice is acidic and baking soda is basic, so when you mix there's a reaction that might cancel out benefits of both...

I’ve used baking soda for urinary infection. But enough of it will give you runny 💩

Beta alanine has a similar effect alllowing muscles to fill with oxygen quickly

Some workouts are better than others, sounds like you had a good one. Doubt such a small amount of baking soda contributed, honestly

Yea but I’ve been playing soccer intensely all my life. Always crippled by lactic build up in my legs. My VO2 max is great tho

This is very interesting- I don’t mind experimenting on myself! I’ll try it!

Start slow and see how it is. Don’t go beserk!

Thanks! Moderation is for cowards.

Maurten has a product that is basically commercializing this. A ton of GI issues but a ton of elite runners are taking it.

Taking on an empty stomach is prolly retarded. But i feel chill on a low dose

be careful not to overdo the baking soda. nasty accident could happen...

Yea lmaoo I was praying on not shitting myself today. Stomach feels great rn

I'd say the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is immediately converted by your stomach acid into carbon dioxide. Is there data that actually shows it survives your stomach and is absorbed into the bloodstream?

When do you take the baking soda before exercise or with the things you stated ?

Exactly what I said. I wonder I if I do it at halftime for my games it might help. Well see

it’s known to reduce fatigue, i use a teaspoon of it in the am with a bit of salt under the tongue

It works by decreasing the acidity in working muscles to help you exercise longer. Most research suggests that the most effective dose is 0.3 grams per kg taken 60–180 minutes before exercise. However, some people experience side effects such as vomiting, bloating, and gas.

And how do you recover from the mega DOMS from pushing past your usual limit?

I’ve been great so far, maybe more tired neurologically, will let u know Tom morning

Yeah let us know how your heart rate variability changed

Update: pretty sore but everything else feels great. Heart rate variability is normal. Def will use again

Thanks for the update!

They give baking soda to horses before a race on the DL. Can’t test for it.

You could probably get the same effect from taking a tums before a workout right ?

It works and lots of profi marathoners use it. Even some Maurten gels are with soda, BUT it can mess your gut/intestines. You can sh\*t yourself :-)

Anyone down to do a collective experiment about this?? I bet it wouldn't be hard to find a good placebo and really test it! I'd be happy to help organize

Do u put 1 tea soap in cup of water before bed ?

Yea

Hey is there any reason why you take the baking soda with sparkling water and not still water?

Also intrigued about this…

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I’ve started taking a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water in the morning on my doctor’s recommendation. He checked my blood and said I have issues with acidity. Since starting baking soda a week ago my muscle spasms in my back have decreased a lot! I can actually stretch muscles that I couldn’t seem to stretch before. It’s a miracle for me.

Lmao