Effect of Bicarbonate Supplementation on the Muscular Strength

Abstract

The ingestion of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) in humans has been previously associated to the increase of blood lactate concentration during exercise (REQUENA et al., 2005; PRICE et al., 2003; SANTALLA et al., 2003), which was attributed to H+ buffering, and further reducing the effects of intramuscular acidosis (ROBERGS et al., 2003; SCOTT et al., 2003). The ingestion of NaHCO3 before exercise may induce to metabolic alkalosis (SWANK; ROBERTSON, 2002), to influence gluconeogenesis (ROEF et al., 2003) and to enhance performance (STEPHENS et al., 2002). PURPOSE: to examine the ergogenic effect of NaHCO3 over the muscular strength. METHODS: Eleven experienced in resistance training healthy male subjects (23.0±2.7yrs, 83.2±6.5kg, 176.1±6.5cm, 15.3±4.5% of body fat) volunteered for this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to ingest two different solutions of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO: 0.3 g.kg-1) or sodium chloride (NaCI: 0.045g.kg-1). Solutions were solved in water, and ingested 2h before a muscle strength test. Following a double-blind placebo controlled design, each volunteer accomplished a 10 repetition maximal (10RM) test on the bench press (BP) and other on the pull press (PP) according three procedures: (1) without supplement (C); (2) with bicarbonate supplementation (S); and (3) placebo (P). All tests (C, S and P) were repeated and the second test was assumed as reference. Tests repeatability was studied using Wilcoxon matched pairs test and the workload relative to 10RM in the BP and PP was compared by repeated measures ANOVA with Fisher post hoc test (α=0.05). RESULTS: Significant differences were recorded between test and re-test for PP and BP. Concerning the BP test, no significant differences were recorded, averaging 99.7±18.0 kg (C), 103.2±17.8kg (S) and 103.6±18.3 Kg (P). Similarly, the PP resulted in 68±10.7 kg (C) and 70.1.±11kg (S) and 69.6±10.8Kg (P), showing no significant differences. CONCLUSION: According this experimental design the present results suggest that ingestion of NaHCO3 does not affect the muscular strength.