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Sodium Bicarbonate and Time-to-Exhaustion Cycling Performance: A Retrospective Analysis Exploring the Mediating Role of Expectation
Background Research has shown that ingesting 0.3 g·kg −1 body mass sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) can improve time-to-exhaustion (TTE) cycling performance, but the influence of psychophysiological mechanisms on ergogenic effects is not yet understood. Objective This study retrospectively examined whe...
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Published in: | Sports medicine - open 2023-07, Vol.9 (1), p.65-12, Article 65 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Background
Research has shown that ingesting 0.3 g·kg
−1
body mass sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO
3
) can improve time-to-exhaustion (TTE) cycling performance, but the influence of psychophysiological mechanisms on ergogenic effects is not yet understood.
Objective
This study retrospectively examined whether changes in TTE cycling performance are mediated by positive expectations of receiving NaHCO
3
and/or the decline in blood bicarbonate during exercise.
Methods
In a randomised, crossover, counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 12 recreationally trained cyclists (maximal oxygen consumption, 54.4 ± 5.7 mL·kg·min
−1
) performed four TTE cycling tests 90 min after consuming: (1) 0.3 g·kg
−1
body mass NaHCO
3
in 5 mL·kg
−1
body mass solution, (2) 0.03 g·kg
−1
body mass sodium chloride in solution (placebo), (3) 0.3 g·kg
−1
body mass NaHCO
3
in capsules and (4) cornflour in capsules (placebo). Prior to exercise, participants rated on 1–5 Likert type scales how much they expected the treatment they believe had been given would improve performance. Capillary blood samples were measured for acid-base balance at baseline, pre-exercise and post-exercise.
Results
Administering NaHCO
3
in solution and capsules improved TTE compared with their respective placebos (solution: 27.0 ± 21.9 s,
p
= 0.001; capsules: 23.0 ± 28.1 s,
p
= 0.016). Compared to capsules, NaHCO
3
administered via solution resulted in a higher expectancy about the benefits on TTE cycling performance (Median: 3.5 vs. 2.5,
Z
= 2.135,
p
= 0.033). Decline in blood bicarbonate during exercise was higher for NaHCO
3
given in solution compared to capsules (2.7 ± 2.1 mmol·L
−1
,
p
= 0.001). Mediation analyses showed that improvements in TTE cycling were indirectly related to expectancy and decline in blood bicarbonate when NaHCO
3
was administered in solution but not capsules.
Conclusions
Participants’ higher expectations when NaHCO
3
is administered in solution could result in them exerting themselves harder during TTE cycling, which subsequently leads to a greater decline in blood bicarbonate and larger improvements in performance.
Key Points
Ingesting 0.3 g·kg
−1
body mass sodium bicarbonate in solution and capsules improved time-to-exhaustion cycling performance
Positive expectancy about the benefits of sodium bicarbonate and decline in blood bicarbonate were higher when sodium bicarbonate was administered in solution compared with capsules
Improvements in time-to-exhaustion cycling perfor |
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ISSN: | 2198-9761 2199-1170 2198-9761 |
DOI: | 10.1186/s40798-023-00612-5 |