Effect of sodium bicarbonate supplementation before exhaustive activity on physiological parameters of fatigue in conscripts: A study in Sanandaj, Iran

Purpose: To investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) on exhaustive activity and physiological parameters of fatigue in conscripts. Materials and Methods: Thirty conscripts did Wingate test in two groups: sodium bicarbonate group (treatment) and placebo (control) group. In both groups, sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg of body mass) or placebo was ingested 60 minutes before the training in 250 mL solution. Blood sample was collected before and after doing Wingate test. All parameters were compared using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Tuke y’s post-hoc test. Significance level was set at .05. Results: After sodium bicarbonate supplementation, the La Anion in Wingate test was significantly higher in the treatment group than the control group (17.93 ± 3.8 mmol/L vs 15.67 ± 3.29 mmol/L P < .01). Sodium bicarbonate supplementation had no significant effect on heart rate in both groups. Conclusion: Sodium bicarbonate improves conscripts’ performance by increasing glycolytic capacity but does not improve fatigue indicators.