There are a variety of nutritional substances and supplements that can improve your hiking performance. These range from macro-supplements used before or after hiking, to creatine with its ergogenic and possibly hydrating effects on the muscle. But is sodium bicarbonate supplementation something that can enhance your hiking performance? I go through the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s Position Stand on use of Sodium Bicarbonate and see if it can apply to the endurance and resistance type work done while hiking.
How does sodium bicarbonate work for exercise?
Ingesting sodium bicarbonate creates a higher amount of bicarbonate molecules (HCO3–) in the fluid around your muscles.
During the first several minutes of exercise, you’re muscles produce acidic hydrogen atoms (H+) during lactic acid formation, from the glycogen breakdown that fuels them. These acidic protons are both inside the muscle cells, and are pushed out of them, and this acidic environment causes muscle fatigue.
However when bicarbonate molecules around the cells chemically interact with these acidic hydrogen atoms, this restores the pH of the intracellular and extracellular spaces. This is kind of like adding sodium bicarbonate, which is baking soda, to vinegar. It neutralizes the acidity of the vinegar. This then alleviates the acidic environment that causes the fatigue. It also osmotically clears the way for the next set of glycogen molecules to be broken down to produce more energy for the muscles.
When does sodium bicarbonate work for exercise?
The muscle performance improvement from sodium bicarbonate works best when the muscles are breaking down glycogen to make energy. That glycogen break down peaks around 30 seconds, and wanes away in the 5 or 10 minute range. However this acidic effect (acidosis) is most pronounced in the 30 second to 5 minute range, and thereafter anaerobic metabolism becomes the main way the muscles are fueled. Thus sodium bicarbonate is theoretically most helpful during this 30 second to 5+ minute interval.
What type of exercise most benefits from sodium bicarbonate?
The exercise that most benefits from sodium bicarbonate is that which has one or more short bouts, where high intensity, max effort is required. However single, high-exertion intervals lasting less than 30 seconds, of course, do not benefit from it. The ergogenic and anti-fatiguing properties of the supplement are likely limited on the longer side to up to 12 minutes.
Further exercise where high intensity, 30 second efforts that occur over and over, with small breaks in between may also benefit from supplementation, on the intervals occurring after the first few.
As far as resistance exercise goes, the effects of sodium bicarbonate were most pronounced during training with multiple reps. Those dosed with the substance were able to complete more reps in subsequent sets of training before hitting fatigue.
Can hiking benefit from sodium bicarbonate supplementation?
The types of hiking most likely to benefit from sodium bicarbonate are those where intense effort intervals, of 30 seconds to 12 minutes, are involved.
Or those where 30+ second climbs are intermingled with small breaks in between, from a series of high grade trail sections broken up by less steep terrain. Especially where the terrain causes the hiker to accomplish resistance type lunges with a heavy back on their back.
For example, O’Melveny Park to Mission Point trail in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley owns 4 or 5 very steep intervals, interspersed with somewhat more hospitable trail, during the first part of the climb. These maximal effort sections need 4-6 minutes to accomplish each. The steepness mimics lunge type reps as you make your way up the hill. The balancing act you need to perform, to get both up and down these sections, is harsh. This would be an appropriate hiking trail to tackle with the help of sodium bicarbonate.
What is the correct dosage of sodium bicarbonate for hiking?
Most studies that involve single doses the day of exercise revolve around the 0.3g/kg dosing. Those larger than this dose increase the risk of GI side effects. Because the performance enhancement of sodium bicarbonate has mixed results under 0.3g/kg, it is not recommended to under dose in such manner.
However there are studies showing performance enhancement in athletes, using higher doses (up to 0.5g/kg) daily, for several days before the day of their exercise.
When should a hiker take sodium bicarbonate before hiking?
Single dose before hiking
Peak concentrations vary so much between individuals so this may obligate some trial and error on the part of the hiker. But generally ingesting the supplement 60-180 minutes before exercise is the norm.
Though smaller capsules are a burden, they seem to provide quicker times to max concentration in the blood stream.
Multi-day loading
For multi-day dosing, starting 3 to 7 days before exercise, hikers can take their dose at a once per day frequency, or they can split it into smaller doses multiple times during each day.
Utilizing this strategy the hiker must be aware of their macro intake for these particular days as well. The bicarbonate supplement may give them a false sense of feeling full. This could cause their carb loading, if being implemented, to be diminished, or just reduce energy intake in general, below that needed.
What are the side effects of sodium bicarbonate for hiking and exercise?
The main side effects are GI related effects. These are dose dependent, such that the higher doses cause more side effects.
Part of the bicarbonate combines with stomach acid to create carbon dioxide. This can create bloating and gas.
Sodium bicarbonate can also cause nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
These side effects may offset the benefits of the use of sodium bicarbonate when hiking.
Minimizing side effects
To minimize the side effects the hiker can use the lowest effective dose. This may involve experimenting with a lower 0.2g/kg dose to test for efficacy and side effects.
The hiker can also maximize the interval between dosing and exercise. This means taking the supplement at least 180 minutes before hiking. Or it means taking a higher dose daily, days before, but not the day of their hike.
Hikers can also take sodium bicarbonate with food to minimize GI side effects. This is especially true for a high carbohydrate meal.
Enteric coated capsules, where the supplement doesn’t get to interact with the hiker’s stomach acid are also an option.
Combining with creatine
I’ve written about the use of creatine when hiking as this supplement can also increase one’s hiking performance. However there is a little evidence showing that combining sodium bicarbonate with creatine, dosing these for 5 days before exercise, may be more beneficial than either supplement used on their own.
Further Reading
Check out my other articles on hiking nutrition and supplements, including energy calculators for both day hiking and backpacking, as well as macro dosing and timing, fluid and electrolytes, etc..