Effect of sodium bicarbonate ingestion during 6 weeks of HIIT on anaerobic performance of college students
Question
Does chronic sodium bicarbonate supplementation during 6 weeks of HIIT enhance anaerobic performance and recovery markers in healthy college-age men?
Summary
Twenty healthy college-age men completed 6 weeks of HIIT while consuming either sodium bicarbonate or placebo on training days. Sodium bicarbonate increased blood bicarbonate and was associated with better relative Wingate peak power and faster lactate clearance after training, while heart-rate recovery improved in both groups.
Methodology
- Healthy college-age male participants
- 20 participants.
- HIIT.
- Intensity: Lower intensity first 3 weeks, higher intensity second 3 weeks.
- 3 days/week.
- 6 weeks.
- Randomized placebo-controlled supplementation plus HIIT training study
- Wingate power, Lactate clearance, and Heart-rate recovery were tracked.
Outcomes
Bicarbonate
Serum bicarbonate was higher in the supplemented group before and after selected HIIT sessions.
p<0.05.
Peak power
Relative Wingate peak power was higher in the sodium bicarbonate group after 6 weeks.
p<0.01.
Lactate clearance
Lactate clearance rate and velocity after 10 minutes were higher in the sodium bicarbonate group.
p<0.01.
HR recovery
Heart-rate recovery improved in both groups, with no between-group difference.
SB p<0.01; PL p<0.05 within groups.
Insights
- Bicarbonate is an ergogenic-aid variable, not a core HIIT design element.
- Six-week HIIT blocks can progress intensity midway, but the exact workout prescription was insufficiently extracted for app replication.
Limitations
- Small male-only sample
- Unclear full HIIT session details
- Supplement-specific findings
- No detailed GI adverse-event reporting
Safety
- Article background notes inappropriate bicarbonate dosage can cause nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.