NATURALLY BICARBONATED WATER SUPPLEMENTATION DOES NOT IMPROVE ANAEROBIC CYCLING PERFORMANCE IN ACTIVE MEN AND WOMEN

Anthony M. Hagele1, Johnathan L. Boring1, Jessica M. Moon1, Kylie E. Walden1, Kayla M. Ratliff1, Logan Orr1, Connor J. Gaige1, Richard A. Stecker1, Kyle L. Sunderland1, Petey W. Mumford1, Chad M. Kerksick1, FACSM 1Lindenwood University, St. Charles, MO Completion of high-intensity exercise can result in robust perturbations of physiologic homeostasis, challenging the body’s natural buffering systems to mitigate the accumulation of metabolic byproducts. Supplementation with bicarbonate has previously been used to offset metabolic acidosis leading to improvements in anaerobic exercise performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ergogenic properties of a naturally bicarbonated water on anaerobic cycling performance in recreationally active men and women. METHODS: Forty-two healthy, recreationally active men and women (28.1 ± 8.0 yrs, 169.8 ± 11.7 cm, 68.9 ± 10.8 kg, 20.1 ± 7.9 %fat, 42.8 ± 7.6 mL/kg/min) completed two separate testing sessions consisting of 15 cycling sprints (10-s sprint, 20-s active rest) against 7.5% of their body mass. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled fashion, study participants consumed a 10 mL/kg dose of either low mineralized spring water (SW) or mineral water naturally high in bicarbonate (BW) content (35 mg/kg) over a 7 day period. After completion of 15 cycling sprints, averages of peak and mean power for bouts 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 along with total work for the entire cycling protocol were calculated, then analyzed using mixed factorial ANOVA. RESULTS: pH was found to be significantly higher in BW immediately after (7.17 ± 0.09 mmol vs 7.20 ± 0.11 mmol) and 10-min post exercise (7.21 ± 0.11 mmol vs 7.24 ± 0.09 mmol). A similar pattern of change was observed 5-min post exercises whereby pH levels were lower in the SW group than those observed in the BW group, however this difference was non-significant (p=0.09). A statistical trend (p=0.06) was observed for lactate levels whereby lactate in BW tended to be lower than SW 5-min post exercise. Supplementation resulted in no change over time (p\u3e0.05) for total work, average peak power, or average power. No group x time interactions were observed (p\u3e0.05) for total work, average peak power, or average power. CONCLUSION: One week of consuming water with a naturally high bicarbonate content showed no effect on anaerobic cycling performance. However, BW did significantly decrease post-exercise blood lactate production and increase blood pH. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This study was funded by Borjomi, IDS