Instructions for Boosting Cycling Performance with Sodium Bicarbonate (#219)

OVERVIEW: Sports Dietitian Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is back to discuss exactly how sodium bicarbonate can improve cycling performance, how much to consume, when to take it, and what workouts or races it works best for. Coach Adam Pulford and Kristen also discuss new research showing that using sodium bicarbonate during an 8-week training program improves training adaptations.

Key topics in this episode:

• What sodium bicarbonate does in the body
• What's the problem with sodium bicarbonate?
• What athlete types benefit from sodium bicarbonate?
• Is sodium bicarbonate safe?
• How much sodium bicarbonate should you take?
• Multi-day loading with sodium bicarbonate
• Sodium bicarbonate in long-term training plan

Guest
Kristen Arnold MS, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian (RDN), retired professional cyclist and Women's Development Road Director for USA Cycling. She is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) and is a Level 1 USA Cycling coach. Her private practice nutrition counseling business focuses on sports nutrition for women athletes.

Links

• Kristin's Website
• Kristin's Instagram

References:

• 2020 Study on Individualization of Sodium Bicarb Ingestion: 
• Meta Analysis:
  • Extracellular Buffering Supplements to Improve Exercise Capacity and Performance: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Sports Medicine
• Asker Jeukedrup Summary: Sodium bicarbonate, cheap and effective?
• Why Top Olympic Athletes Use Baking Soda to Boost Performance 
• The effect of sodium bicarbonate mini-tablets ingested in a carbohydrate hydrogel system on 40 km cycling time trial performance and metabolism in trained male cyclists - PubMed 
• Knowledge is Watt article

Host
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for more nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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