Ever hit that point in a hard workout where your legs are burning, your power is fading, and you feel like you just can’t clear the fatigue fast enough?
That is where sodium bicarbonate may help.
The cyclists had about:
A new study in the European Journal of Sport Science looked at 24 well-trained cyclists and found that sodium bicarbonate helped them produce a little more power during hard intervals.
+2% more power during 5-minute hard intervals
+24 seconds more time above 90% of VO₂max
+2% more power during later sprint efforts
So why would an endurance athlete use sodium bicarbonate?
When you go really hard, for example: VO₂ intervals, hill attacks, surges, sprint finishes, or hard bike efforts, your body starts to build up more acidity (hydrogen ions). That is part of what creates that deep burn and heavy-leg feeling (NOT lactate).
Sodium bicarbonate may help buffer some of that buildup so you can tolerate those hard efforts a little longer.
But here is the key:
This does not mean lactate is bad.
Lactate is not the enemy. The bigger issue is the acidic (hydrogen ions) environment that comes with very hard efforts.
Performance takeaway:
Sodium bicarbonate might be useful for certain hard workouts or race situations where you need to handle repeated high-intensity efforts near or above your threshold. But it is not something every athlete needs, and it can definitely cause stomach issues if you do not practice with it first.
Don’t chase the advanced stuff before you have the basics covered: training, fueling, sleep, recovery, and smart race execution, like even or negative splits.
Use tools like this when they solve a specific problem, not just because they sound cool.
Source: Feuerbacher et al., European Journal of Sport Science, 2026.
William Ritter, from Tyler Texas, enjoys working with athletes that are looking to improve their performance in triathlon or running. He specializes in coaching triathletes and runners of all abilities. Ritter’s coaching is extensive and focused on the individual athlete, blending the art and science of coaching. Ritter is the Head Coach at Fly Tri Racing with over 15 years of coaching experience and 30 years of competitive experience. Coach Ritter is a USA Triathlon Level II Short & Long Course Coach, USA Triathlon Level 1 Youth & Junior Coach, USA Track & Field Level III Endurance & Youth Coach and USATF Cross Country & Marathon Specialist. Including a TrainingPeaks Level 2 and Power Certified Coach, Ironman U, Tri Sutto Coaching Certified, USA Cycling Coach.
