Sodium Bicarbonate Gel Improved Cycling Power in New Study

September 29, 2026

Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, has emerged as a performance enhancer for exercise. As strange as it may sound, the $1 item sitting in your kitchen pantry has legitimate research behind it.

When you participate in intense exercise, hydrogen ions build up in muscle, creating an acidic environment, which results in fatigue. Sodium bicarbonate works by buffering these ions, allowing you to work harder for longer.

This is one of the first studies to test the effects of sodium bicarbonate during exercise. Other studies have used it before exercise. Eleven trained cyclists (8 men, 3 women) did two 3-hour rides at a steady, moderate pace, taking in 80 g of carbs per hour. Under one condition, the riders consumed only a carbohydrate gel. In the other condition, they consumed the carbohydrate gel with bicarbonate, spread over four timed doses (0, 30, 90, and 150 minutes in). (
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