Why Are Runners Taking Baking Soda?

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How does sodium bicarbonate work?

To understand how sodium bicarbonate works, it’s helpful to first understand the concept of pH.
How pH affects exercise performance

In chemistry, pH is a scale used to grade how acidic or alkaline (basic) a solution is.

A pH of 7.0 is considered neutral (pure water has a pH of 7.0). Anything lower than 7.0 is acidic, and anything above 7.0 is alkaline.

The pH level of the human body varies depending on the part of the body. For example, our blood has a pH of about 7.4, while stomach acid is highly acidic, with a pH of 1–3.

Interestingly, the pH of our bodies is tightly regulated, which ensures that they function properly. This regulation is referred to as the acid-base balance and is controlled mainly by our kidneys and lungs.

However, certain health conditions and external factors can disrupt this balance. One of these factors is high intensity exercise, also known as anaerobic exercise.

During anaerobic exercise, your body’s demand for oxygen exceeds the available supply. As a result, your muscles cannot rely on oxygen to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), your body’s cellular energy source (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

Instead, they must switch to a different pathway — the anaerobic pathway — to produce ATP.

While researchers don’t yet fully understand this process, they have determined that a major byproduct of the anaerobic pathway is hydrogen (H+).

Too much hydrogen in the working muscles decreases the pH of your muscles, creating an acidic environment. This leads to the unwanted “burning” sensation we’ve all felt during anaerobic exercises such as sprints and resistance training.

Contrary to popular belief, most research no longer points to lactic acid or lactate as the main cause of burning or muscle fatigue. In fact, lactate may help reduce hydrogen molecules in muscle.
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Bicarbonate is a natural buffer that is part of your body’s acid-base balance, which maintains proper pH levels. During exercise, it helps clear acid out of muscle cells to restore optimal pH. It’s thought that bicarbonate supplementation may aid this process.

Is that like salt

Oh right

I must try that