at the 2024 Olympics a new Spotlight was focused on a potential performance enhancer good old baking soda known scientifically as sodium bicarbonate this simple compound has emerged as a powerful tool for athletes particularly in endurance and high-intensity Sports in this video I'm going to highlight the evidence and challenges behind using sodium bicarbonate as a performance enhancer hi I'm Dr Jason Barker over the past 22 years one of my key clinical Specialties has been helping athletes optimize their performance as an athlete myself I've always been passionate about discovering what helps us go faster perform better recover more efficiently and stay injuryf free this channel is my way of sharing that knowledge and experience with [Music] you there's growing evidence that baking soda can enhance athletic output by delaying the onset of fatigue and really the question has never been whether baking soda boost performance there's actually a long line of evidence dating back to the 1980s suggesting that it works the science behind baking soda's benefits is tied to muscle performance under stress when muscles are pushed to their limit during high intensity exercise they produce lactic acid which contributes to a rise in hydrogen ions which in turn leads to acidity that can impair muscle contraction leading to fatigue baking soda being highly alkaline works as a buffering agent neutralizing the acid and helping muscles maintain performance for longer studies confirm that ingesting baking soda before exercise can boost performance in activities lasting from 1 to 10 minutes these benefits are particularly noticeable in events like running Sprints cycling time trials swimming races and other short-term high-intensity efforts athletes who have used baking soda often report feeling less muscle burn and experiencing better endurance during these intense efforts however there's a significant downside to traditional baking soda supplementation and that is gastrointestinal distress the recommended dose about 0.2 to 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight or very roughly 9 to .13 grams per pound of body weight can cause bloating cramping and diarrhea because of this baking soda has limited use as a performance enhancer despite its potential advantages however because of this a Swedish company called Martin has developed a product called bicarb this formulation integrates sodium bicarbonate into a hydrogel allowing for better absorption it bypasses the stomach and is released in the small intestine where it's absorbed which produces those gastrointestinal side effects Martin's bicarb has also undergone a double blind Placebo controlled study and the results showed substantial performance improvements in athletes using bicarb compared to a placebo that study in the European Journal of Applied physiology showed a whopping 1.4% boost for cyclists in a 40 kilometer time trial which works out to a gain of roughly a minute over the course of an event lasting an hour that's a pretty big deal and the other interesting aspect of this study is is that the time trial lasted an hour remember earlier when I said historically baking soda was thought to be most effective in Advan lasting 1 to 10 minutes which typically generate the highest levels of lactic acid well from this study it appears that baking soda can be effective in longer events as well however even with improved products it's important to approach baking soda use very carefully timing dosage and individual tolerance all need to be considered when assessing its Effectiveness and safety regardless the data behind Bing soda as a performance enhancer is interesting and hopefully we'll start seeing more research and improved formulations that are more GI friendly if you're intrigued by the idea of using baking soda or have your own experiences to share leave a comment down below don't forget to like And subscribe for more science-backed insights into optimizing your athletic performance naturally see you all next time [Music]