BIO: Andy Sparks, PhD, was an academic in the UK for ~25 years and is now the Research Innovations Manager for Maurten AB, Sweden, and an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. His research focuses on nutritional interventions to enhance sports performance, particularly the use of sodium bicarbonate. He has published extensively on a range of topics in exercise physiology and sports nutrition, with a particular interest in endurance cycling and running performance.
Dr. Andy Sparks shares his expertise on sodium bicarbonate as an overlooked yet highly effective ergogenic aid for sports performance, with a particular focus on recent advances in delivery methods that minimize gastrointestinal distress. He explains the science behind bicarbonate supplementation and reveals why this supplement deserves more attention from athletes across multiple sports.
Key Points!
• Sodium bicarbonate is recognized as an A-list evidence-based supplement by the Australian Institute of Sport
• Traditional delivery methods caused GI distress, giving the supplement a negative reputation despite its effectiveness
• Works as an extracellular buffer that helps manage hydrogen ions during high-intensity exercise
• May also reduce pain perception during exercise, explaining benefits in longer-duration events
• Effective for high-intensity activities (400m-3000m races), intermittent sports, and even endurance events
• Dosing varies widely (0.1-0.3g/kg bodyweight) with significant inter-individual response variability
• Peak blood bicarbonate levels occur between 15-90 minutes post-ingestion, depending on delivery method
• The Maurten bicarb system combines mini-tablets with a carbohydrate hydrogel to maximize effectiveness while minimizing GI issues
• Safety concerns relate primarily to sodium load rather than bicarbonate itself
• Particularly beneficial for race strategies with high-intensity starts followed by sustained efforts
The Maurten bicarb system is available online at maurten.com, with region-specific sites including a US option.
