Misconceptions: Bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid? A physical, chemical, mechanistic viewpoint

KAY, B. Misconceptions: Bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid? A physical, chemical, mechanistic viewpoint. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity, v. 2, n. 4, p. 205-219, 2008. The ergogenic effect of sodium bicarbonate has been extensively studied. Results have been equivocal. Bicarbonate (HCO3 -) is widely proposed as having a possible ergogenic effect via an attenuation of exercise induced acidification, and / or via increased rapidity of lactate export from working muscles. Lactate is cited as being co-exported with protons, in a 1:1 stoichiometry. With respect to the model proposing bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid: (a) exercise induced acidosis may not be deleterious to exercise performance; (b) both [HCO3-] and [H+] are dependant variables and therefore unable to be primarily or independently moderated; (c) The finding that ingestion / infusion of NaHCO3 results in increased lactate export rate from working muscles is not universal (d) whether or not protons are co-exported from muscle cells with lactate is irrelevant to [H+] in either case; and finally (e) lactate is not apparently causally involved in muscle fatigue development. Rather, exercise leads to accumulation of extracellular K+ and intracellular Na+ which may disturb the fluid balance of cells, and the continuing excitability of cells. In conclusion, the current author suggests that the likely ergogenic agent is the Na+, rather than the HCO3-; which may operate by mitigating such osmotic and ionic perturbations. The ergogenic affect of Na+ appears from an initial investigation, to be maximised when administered with bicarbonate; as opposed to with chloride, citrate, or lactate.