The effects of buffer ingestion on metabolic factors related to distance running performance

Abstract

We examined the effects of sodium bicarbonate (BIC) and sodium citrate (CIT) ingestion on distance running performance. Seven male runners [mean$\dot VO_{2max}$ = 61.7 (SEM 1.7) ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹] performed three 30-min treadmill runs at the lactate threshold (LT) each followed by a run to exhaustion at 110% of LT. The runs were double-blind and randomly assigned from BIC (0.3 g · kg body mass⁻¹), CIT (0.5 g · kg body mass⁻¹) and placebo (PLC, wheat flour, 0.5 g · kg body mass⁻¹). Venous blood samples were collected at 5, 15 and 25 min during the run and immediately post-exhaustion (POST-EX) and analysed for pH, and the concentrations of lactate ([1a⁻]_b) and bicarbonate ([HCO₃ ⁻ ]). Performance was measured as running time to exhaustion at 110% of LT (TIME-EX). The pH was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) for the BIC and CIT trials during exercise, but not POST-EX compared to PLC. The [1a⁻]_b was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) for the CIT trial compared to PLC during exercise, and for both CIT and BIC compared to PLC at POST-EX. Blood [HCO₃ ⁻] was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) during exercise for BIC compared to PLC. TIME-EX was not significantly different among treatments: BIC 287 (SEM 47.4) s; CIT 172.8 (SEM 29.7) s; and PLC 222.3 (SEM 39.7) s. Despite the fact that buffer ingestion produced favourable metabolic conditions during 30 min of high intensity steady-state exercise, a significant improvement in the subsequent maximal exercise run to exhaustion did not occur.