Bicarbonate Strikes Again! Instant 14% HIIT Performance Increase with 0.4g/kg Body Weight in 25 Gelatin Capsules
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If you are doing any sport that requires high intensity sprints, bicarbonate supplementation can help you beat your competition on the track, field or wherever. |
In the corresponding experiment, thirteen men aged 23 ± 1 year (height: 180 ± 2 cm, weight: 78 ± 3 kg; VO2max: 61.3 ± 3.3 mlO2 · kg−1 · min−1; means ± SEM) performed the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 2 test (Yo-Yo IR2) on two separate occasions in randomized order with (SBC) and without (CON) prior intake of sodium bicarbonate (0.4 g · kg−1 body weight).
You can learn more about bicarbonate and pH-buffers at the SuppVersity
"Use cones to mark out three lines as per the diagram above; 20 meters and 2.5 (endurance test) or 5 meters (recovery test) apart. The subject starts on or behind the middle line, and begins running 20 m when instructed by the cd. This subject turns and returns to the starting point when signaled by the recorded beep. There is a active recovery period (5 and 10 seconds respectively for the endurance and recovery versions of the test) interjected between every 20 meter (out and back) shuttle, during which the subject must walk or jog around the other cone and return to the starting point. A warning is given when the subject does not complete a successful out and back shuttle in the allocated time, the subject is removed the next time they do not complete a successful shuttle (see video example)" (topendsports.com)As previously hinted at, there are two levels for each of the recovery and endurance intermittent tests: Level 1 designed for lesser trained individuals and level 2 aimed at well trained and elite athletes and starting at a faster speed. Both test variations have increasing speeds throughout the test.
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8 weeks on beta alanine increase the maximal distance covered in the YoYo2-test (Saunders. 2012). |
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Figure 1: Blood pH (left) and YoYo IR2 performance (distance covered) in the control (= no supplement) and sodium bicarbonate group (Krustrup. 2015). |
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Bicarbonate For Strength: 25g of Baking Soda Up Your Squat (+27%) & Bench (+6%) Within 60 Min | more |
The performance increase, as well as the increase in lactate levels and the reduced perceived exertion values were, just as it was the case in previous studies, mediated by a profound increase in blood pH (elevated blood alkalosis) and the concentration of bicarbonate.
Side effects, such as changes in blood glucose levels, or plasma potassium (Ka+) or sodium (Na+) levels were - again - not observed and the cardiovascular loading during high-intensity intermittent exercise was unaffected by sodium bicarbonate intake, too | Comment on Facebook!
- Krustrup et al. "Sodium bicarbonate intake improves high-intensity intermittent exercise
- performance in trained young men." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition Sample 12 (2015):25.
- Saunders, Bryan, et al. "beta-alanine supplementation improves YoYo intermittent recovery test performance." J Int Soc Sports Nutr 9.1 (2012): 39.