Is bi-carb soda back?
Image @koruptvision
As the body breaks down glucose for energy it produces lactate. For each molecule of lactate produced the body also produces one hydrogen ion. Hydrogen ions lower the blood pH and make the muscles acidic. Not a problem at sustainable intensities as the body recycles the lactate back into energy and carries the hydrogen ions away with it. So for the most part in a triathlon, the production of lactate and hydrogen ions remains quite constant and it’s all hunky dory.
If there are times during the race when you have to increase the intensity to an unsustainable level, like the final kms of a race or where many of you do (but shouldn’t unless you’re a pro trying to make a pack) in the initial few hundred metres of the swim, the body can’t keep up with converting the lactate into energy, which makes you unable to clear the hydrogen ions and you get that burning heaviness we were mistakenly told was a lactic acid build-up. For what it’s worth, who cares whether it’s hydrogen ions or lactic acid. It hurts like hell but can be worth it at the right times 😄 !
Bicarbonate is actually produced naturally by the body and plays a key role in maintaining acid-base balance. Sodium bicarbonate, also known as bi-carb soda is not new to athletes or coaches who’ve been in the game a while but is fresh on the tongues of athletes with new more digestible bi-carb products available to athletes. Bi-carb soda can assist in working as an adjunct to our bodies’ natural bicarbonate in maintaining the acid-base balance with solid evidence showing reduced fatigue and improved performance particularly in high-intensity efforts 3-8 minutes in duration.
Image @Koruptvision
Then why does’n’ everyone take it either before the swim start or down a heap of it mid run to help with their strong finish? Well, there is no beating around the bush here, mainly because it tastes horrible, and the chance of mild GI distress to more severe ‘you’re definitely shitting yourself’ is a more than common side effect.
Maurten, has created a product with their well marketed ‘alginate’ to make digestion easier and deliver the sodium-bicarbonate with less GI distress. I haven’t tried it, but would be interested to know how others have found it. The downside is sodium bi-carbonate is dirt cheap and Maurten is not. However, I reached out to the well-qualified and informative @DrTEHughes who shared his DIY version to achieve the same thing as Maurten for those playing at home. Instructions are at the bottom of the post. (use at your own risk!)
- 0.3g/kg NaCO3 (sodium carbonate). Put it in gelatine 00 caps, approx 20 of them. Take with a slurry of Na Alginate 1.2g, CaCO3 1.5g (both Amazon), 80g Waxy maize, 20g Jam sugar (has the required pectin). Take 3-4 hours before a race.
Also please see a great resource from the AIS here.
Go forth,
Beware of the dragon.
