Baking Soda Before Racing

There have been several studies on this, specifically with swimmers. No effect was found. Lactic acid was measured before after the race. No difference in control group.

Apparently your body adjusts ph levels, very quickly

I tried it once. I had a big reaction: I nearly sh*t out my brains. I was on the toilet for 10 minutes and so much came out of me that it was fightening.

For the next 2 days, I had an unquenchable thirst that made all liquids seem indescribably delicious.

Try it, if you want. But don't get too far away from a bathroom, unless scatology is your science of choice.

Caffeine pill.

Research Beta Alanine. Supposedly similar effect...minus the bathroom breaks!

Alan

Same here. I ran fast after I ate some, but there is a serious sludge factor in your underwear you need to be ready for. The shit will run out whether you are on the toilet or not. My recommendation would be to set aside about 30 minutes on race day, maybe 2-3 hours before the race, and just sit on the toilet and try to shit out as much as you can.

I did a lot of research on the literature out there as far as buffering agents for middle-distance races. Here are some notes I took:

so as far as bicarbonate, you might go a bit faster, but only if you don't puke your guts out or crap your pants before the race. Not worth the risk! I tried out beta-alanine for a bit because the evidence seemed a little bit more favorable, but found no effect from it. It makes your ears tingle a bit, that's all. No extra burst of energy at the end of a workout or race. There isn't much research into beta alanine with runners--mostly just cyclists.

Caffeine is really the only well-documented, reliable, few-adverse-effects ergogenic aid that isn't banned. Save yourself the diarrhea (and the money!) from bicarbonate or beta-alanine and enjoy a cup of coffee before your race.

two questions?

1. is there a difference between Baking soda and power?

2. how did the athletes take it?...did they mix with anything?

ps....My aunt (65yrs old) claims she never had a tooth cavity by using baking soda since she was a child.

Omg you idiots are amazing.

"I ate baking soda so I could run faster"

I am dying laughing right now. Truly the dumbest stuff I've ever heard.

Now, not only is your stomach lining gone and you're dehydrated, you also need to visit poison control. All right before race time.

I'm reminded of a similar Jarhead scene.

You distance runners are some crazy motherf***ers.

Do whatever you want, just don't kill yourselves.

Even though I mind awarding a few Darwin awards to some of you idiots here on letsrun.

I have not personally tried it, but I know people who have done studies with bicarb loading.

Here is a decent summary.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/soda-loading.htm

First you have to get an idea of how much you have to ingest. Many studies were done using ~300 mg per kg body mass. That means a person weighing 60 kg (132 lbs) would need to ingest 18 grams (less than an ounce).

Then there is the matter of timing. How long before the event?

Then you have to consider the ramifications in that you increase the risk of gastric distress. Might not be a big deal if you are only racing once.

Looks like sodium citrate offers potential benefits with far fewer negative side effects.

At one time (although this might have changed) if your urine pH was out of a given range, it would be considered a positive for masking in doping control. (I vaguely recall that the new tests can get around out-of-range ph levels, but I cannot be sure).

Great now the discussion has turned to how to beat doping protocol and tests.

Letsrun, the 4chan of sports.

my teammate did it for 2 indoor meets this year, he mixed like 3 heaping tablespoons in to his gatorade before the 4x4 and said that he spent the entire bus trip home "pissing out his azz"

oh yeah, and he didnt run any faster. so seems fairly illogical to me.

Lolas you are a moron 1 teaspoon of Baking soda per glass of water is fine and you do not need poison control as it is not poison. go back to school and get an education. baking soda can help fight cancer, prevent so many different disease more so then most modern medicine. It is used for a number of things they used to dope horses with it your not suppose to take it in excess but 1 teaspoon of it in a glass of water a day or 3 teaspoons in a gallon of water is fine as well the health benefits are amazing. The best part of you LOLAS ran down your mothers chin

LOLAS IS A MORON wrote:

Lolas you are a moron 1 teaspoon of Baking soda per glass of water is fine and you do not need poison control as it is not poison. go back to school and get an education. baking soda can help fight cancer, prevent so many different disease more so then most modern medicine. It is used for a number of things they used to dope horses with it your not suppose to take it in excess but 1 teaspoon of it in a glass of water a day or 3 teaspoons in a gallon of water is fine as well the health benefits are amazing. The best part of you LOLAS ran down your mothers chin

Well, I think someone responding to a thread that is 4 years old could be considered a moron too.

Me too