Abstract
During high intensity bouts of running, acidosis is a contributing factor in muscle fatigue, but sodium bicarbonate can be used to help the body’s natural buffering system by accepting excess hydrogen ions in the blood and muscles. However, gastrointestinal (GI) issues have been an issue with prior ingestion methods in previous studies. Even though past studies have shown a buffering capacity of ~1-5 minutes, the Maurten Sodium Bicarbonate System (MSBS) uses a carbohydrate hydrogel ingestion method that claims to decrease GI tract issues and can sustain the buffering capacity for hours instead of minutes. PURPOSE: Determine the ergogenic effects of the MSBS on 5k running performance. METHODS: Eight male distance runners completed two 5k time trials separated by one week. Two hours prior to the time trial, subjects consumed either the Maurten Sodium Bicarbonate supplement (.27g/kg) or a placebo made of Maurten carbohydrate hydrogel and sprinkles that looked similar to the sodium bicarbonate pellets. The study utilized a counterbalanced, crossover design so that all subjects completed both conditions. Following a standardized warmup, participants completed the 5k time trial outdoors on campus roads. Weather conditions and time of day were equivalent between study visits. A one-tailed t-test was performed to compare time trial performance since it was hypothesized that the sodium bicarbonate would help running performance. Prior to supplementation, readiness scores were taken the morning of time trials to determine fatigue, muscle soreness, sleep quality, stress, and mood. A visual analogue scale (VAS) for GI tract symptoms was also filled out four times for each time trial: pre-supplementation, 1-hour post-supplementation, 2-hour post-supplementation, and post-race. RESULTS: A one-tailed paired t-test showed significance differences (p = 0.026) for total race time (minutes) when comparing the sodium bicarbonate supplementation (17.65 ± 1.3) and placebo (17.94 ± 1.3) conditions. Seven out of eight participants improved on bicarb with an average 0.29 minutes faster, while an eighth participant was only 0.04 minutes slower. There were minimal GI issues and negligible differences between conditions. There were also negligible differences in readiness scores. CONCLUSION: This study found that the MSBS can improve 5k running performance. The ingestion method of the Maurten hydrogel was effective since GI symptoms were negligible. These findings can help distance runners boost their performance. Since this study only had male participants, future studies should test the MSBS on female distance runners to determine if females are affected differently than males.
Recommended Citation
Navarro, Suzanna Q. and Joubert, Dustin P.
(2026)
"Effect of Maurten Sodium Bicarbonate System on 5k Running Performance,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 60.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/60