Supposively it nutralizes the lactic acid, so your body can remove it.
Doesn't quite work that way, but it does provide a lactate buffering effect...This isn't quite what you're looking for, but here's some interesting studies.Acute versus chronic sodium bicarbonate ingestion and anaerobic work and power output.
Mc Naughton L, Thompson D.
Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Bath, Bath, England, UK. l.mcnaughton@bath.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the effects of acute versus chronic sodium bicarbonate ingestion. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS: Eight male, (mean+/-SE): age, 20.8+/-0.4 yrs; height, 179.6+/-0.6 cm; body mass, 79.4+/-0.85 kg, Sigma7skf, 48.6+/-4.8 mm, VO2max=55.9+/-0.8 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) volunteer subjects, ingested NaHCO3 in either a dose of 0.5 g x kg(-1) body mass acutely or the same dose daily over a period of six days in order to determine whether there were any differences in performance of 90 sec maximal cycling ergometry. INTERVENTION: After subjects undertook an initial control (C) test session, all were then randomly assigned to one of two groups, acute or chronic NaHCO3 ingestion. Subjects in the acute ingestion (AI) group completed their supplemented test on day one, and then on the following day. Chronic ingestion (CI) subjects completed the test after one day of chronic ingestion as well as following six days of bicarbonate ingestion. Following ten days rest, subjects repeated the protocol in the opposite group. MEASURES: Blood samples were taken pre- and postingestion, daily, and pre- and postexercise and were analysed for, pH, Base excess (BE), HCO3-, PO2, PCO2, Na+, K+, Cl-, and lactate. RESULTS: Both the chronic (CI) and acute ingestion (AI) groups were significantly different to the control (C) value (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We would suggest using chronic ingestion as a means to improve high intensity work rather than the acute ingestion of sodium bicarbonate. The ingestion of sodium bicarbonate, over a period of six days, significantly improved work output two days after bicarbonate ingestion ceased.
Effects of chronic bicarbonate ingestion on the performance of high-intensity work.
McNaughton L, Backx K, Palmer G, Strange N.
Sports Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
We have evaluated whether sodium bicarbonate, taken chronically (0.5 g x kg(-1) body mass) for a period of 5 days would improve the performance of eight subjects during 60 s of high-intensity exercise on an electrically braked cycle ergometer. The first test was performed prior to chronic supplementation (pre-ingestion) while the post-ingestion test took place 6 days later. A control test took place approximately 1 month after the cessation of all testing. Acid-base and metabolite data (n = 7) were measured from arterialised blood both pre- and post-exercise, as well as daily throughout the exercise period. The work completed by the subjects in the control and pre-ingestion test [21.1 (0.9) and 21.1 (0.9) MJ, respectively] was less than (P<0.05) that completed in the post-ingestion test [24.1 (0.9) MJ; F(2,21) = 3.4, P<0.05, power = 0.57]. Peak power was higher after the 5-day supplementation period (P<0.05). Ingestion of the sodium bicarbonate for a period of 5 days resulted in an increase in pH (F(5,36) = 12.5, P<0.0001, power = 1.0) over the 5-day period. The blood bicarbonate levels also rose during the trial (P<0.05) from a resting level of 22.8 (0.4) to 28.4 (1.1) mmol x l(-1) after 24 h of ingestion. In conclusion, the addition of sodium bicarbonate to a normal diet proved to be of ergogenic benefit in the performance of short-term, high-intensity work.
Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and its effects on anaerobic exercise of various durations.
McNaughton LR.
Centre for Physical Education, University of Tasmania, Australia.
Four groups of male subjects participated in anaerobic testing on a Repco EX10 cycle ergometer to determine the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g kg-1 body mass) as an ergogenic aid during exercise of 10, 30, 120 and 240 s duration. Blood was collected 90 min prior to ingestion of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), after ingestion of NaHCO3 and immediately post-exercise from a heated (43-46 degrees C) fingertip and analysed immediately post-collection for pH, base excess, bicarbonate and lactate. The total work undertaken (kJ) and peak power achieved during the tests were also obtained via a Repco Work Monitor Unit. Blood bicarbonate levels were again increased above the control and placebo conditions (P < 0.001) and blood lactate levels were also increased following the bicarbonate trials. The pH levels fell significantly (P < 0.05) below the control and placebo conditions in all trials. The results indicate that NaHCO3 at this dosage has no ergogenic benefit for work of either 10 or 30 s duration, even though blood bicarbonate levels were significantly increased (P < 0.05) following ingestion of NaHCO3. For work periods of 120 and 240 s, performance was significantly increased (P < 0.05) above the control and placebo conditions following NaHCO3 ingestion.
