1. Introduction
metabolic acidosis, acidosis, fatigue
METABOLIC ACIDOSIS, ADVERSE EVENTS, ACIDOSIS
The completion of high-intensity exercise results in robust perturbations to physiologic homeostasis, challenging the body’s natural buffering systems to mitigate the accumulation of metabolic by-products. Supplementation with bicarbonate has previously been used to offset metabolic acidosis, leading to improvements in anaerobic exercise performance. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of ergogenic properties in naturally occurring low-dose bicarbonated water and their effects on anaerobic cycling performance and blood gas kinetics in recreationally active men and women. Methods: Thirty-nine healthy, recreationally active men and women (28.1 ± 8.0 years, 169.8 ± 11.7 cm, 68.9 ± 10.8 kg, 20.1 ± 7.9% fat, The completion of high-intensity exercise results in robust perturbations to physiologic homeostasis, challenging the body’s natural buffering systems to mitigate the accumulation of metabolic by-products. Exercise-induced fatigue is attributed to several factors, primarily the depletion of energetic substrates and the accumulation of metabolic by-products [The primary means of the body to offset the accumulation of HGiven the relationship between exercise-induced acidosis and fatigue, previous research has supported the efficacy of ingesting potential buffering agents such as bicarbonate to mitigate metabolic acidosis and improve anaerobic exercise performance [Efficacious supplementation with bicarbonate that is void of adverse events that complicate well-being and promote optimal physical performance continues to be an area of investigative focus. As such, research questions surrounding dosing amount, timing, and type (e.g., liquid, capsules, tablets, powder) have all been and continue to be explored surrounding bicarbonate. A dose of 0.3 g/kg most commonly appears in the literature and has the most consistent support for ergogenic outcomes (ISSN position stand). Most commonly, bicarbonate doses of 0.3 g/kg administered 60–90 min prior to exercise have shown ergogenic properties [A relatively new approach to bicarbonate administration is the ingestion of spring water samples from various parts of the world which have high amounts of bicarbonate and include varying compositions of minerals and electrolytes. These naturally sourced water options offer unique opportunities to consume a beverage that naturally contains bicarbonate in amounts that are severalfold higher than what is commonly found in standard spring water but is still a dosage that much lower than what has been used previously [For these reasons, the purpose of this study was to investigate the ergogenic effect of ingesting naturally occurring bicarbonate water at a dose of 10 mL/kg for seven days on performance variables, including peak power, average power, total work, blood gas kinetics, and ratings of perceived exertion following a bout of high-intensity cycling intervals. Our hypothesis is that regular consumption of naturally occurring bicarbonate water at a dose of 10 mL/kg (delivering ~3 g/day bicarbonate) for seven days will enhance anaerobic performance, lactate, and other blood gas parameters in recreationally trained men and women.