Sodium bicarbonate supplementation and the female athlete: A brief commentary with small scale systematic review and meta-analysis

Author(s)

Saunders, Bryan ; de Oliveira, Luana Farias ; Dolan, Eimear ; Durkalec-Michalski, Krzysztof ; McNaughton, Lars ; Artioli, Guilherme Giannini ; Swinton, Paul Alan

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: European Journal of Sport Science; v. 22, n. 5, p. 10-pg., 2021-02-27.

Abstract

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) is considered an effective ergogenic supplement for improving high-intensity exercise capacity and performance, although recent data suggests that women may be less amenable to its ergogenic effects than men. Currently, an apparent paucity of data on women means no consensus exists on whether women benefit from SB supplementation. The aim of the current study was to quantify the proportion of the published literature on SB supplementation that includes women, and to synthesise the evidence regarding its effects on blood bicarbonate and exercise performance in women by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic searches of the literature were undertaken using three databases (MEDLINE, Embase, SPORTDiscus) to identify relevant articles. All meta-analyses were performed within a Bayesian framework. A total of 149 SB articles were identified, 11 of which contained individual group data for women. Results indicated a pooled blood bicarbonate increase of 7.4 [95%CrI: 4.2-10.4 mmol center dot L-1] following supplementation and a pooled standardised exercise effect size of 0.37 [95%CrI: -0.06-0.92]. The SB literature is skewed, with only 20% (30 studies) of studies employing female participants, of which only 11 studies (7.4%) provided group analyses exclusively in women. Despite the small amount of available data, results are consistent in showing that SB supplementation in women leads to large changes in blood bicarbonate and that there is strong evidence for a positive ergogenic effect on exercise performance that is likely to be small to medium in magnitude. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/25032-9 - The role of carnosine on Ca2+ handling, control of oxidative stress and protection against protein glycation: advances and applications of the study life without carnosine
• Grantee: Hamilton Augusto Roschel da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/50438-0 - Nutritional suplementation and exercise to optimize exercise performance: focus on individual responses and a step towards personalized sports nutrition
• Grantee: Bryan Saunders
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/26899-6 - The bone response to exercise a translational research program exploring clinical and mechanistic aspects
• Grantee: Eimear Bernadette Dolan
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Young Researchers
• FAPESP's process: 19/05616-6 - The bone response to exercise: a translational research program exploring clinical and mechanistic aspects
• Grantee: Eimear Bernadette Dolan
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants