How soon until bicarb is banned?

So where is bicarb been identified as harmful to health or against the spirit of sportsmanship? That is all that's left once you effectively concede it isn't seen as unfairly performance enhancing.

It's all rather subjective, isn't it. Meldonium was banned, but thyroid was not, with seemingly identical criteria and arguments. Substances like diuretics, or methods like excessive saline infusions, aren't generally considered performance enhancing, yet they are also banned. The whole process of WADA banning substances and methods happens behind closed doors, with no detailed explanation of what criteria were satisified, and on which basis, that led to the banning.

There are well known common potentially harmful side effects: explosive diarrhea, dehydration, hypernatremia.

And the proven performance benefit can be seen as against the spirit of the sport (this criteria is rather fuzzy and subjective).

It could arguably satisfy all three criteria, depending on the whims of a secret expert panel.

By whom?

The studies I've seen in my short search is a 1% benefit, and with Maurten's delivery breakthrough, I've seen figures as high as 2-3%.

Combine that with the supershoes for higher efficiency, and it is no wonder all these times are dropping in the supershoe era.

Why isn't beta-alanine used as much as bicarb? The only side effect that often occurs is temporary paresthesia.

No more of Nanna's sticky date pudding?

sodium bicarbonate is just baking soda. Every human eats it. There isn't a way to test for "bicarb" seperate from consuming cookies or bread. And even if there were athletes would just argue they eat tons of bread.

Further more, when baking soda, is something you can buy in any grocery store, it shouldn't be banned. My understanding is it doesn't really help above like a mile or below 400.

This is why people have a problem with it. It goes beyond basic fueling/hydration. It's a different thing that - if conferring 1% benefit - it would suck that suddenly you have to consume this specific thing in order to have a level playing field.

How about if you water it down? What concentration of dihydrogen monoxide in water gives best results?

every runner is on beta alinine too, but it just takes 12 weeks minimum to load, its not an instant thing like bicarb

There is research from the 1930s, so no!

Every human releases bicarb into their gut from the gall bladder, this being a key part of digestions. So quite how it can be banned is an interesting concept.

Uhh, it definitely helps above a mile... No idea why you would think that, lactic acid affects all endurance efforts no matter the length. A dose lasts for like 4 hours and there have been cases of pro cyclists eating bicarb gel with a spoon while moving during a race.

Doesn't every human release testosterone into their bloodstream? Pretty sure test is banned.

Experts know what you clearly don't. I'll go with them.

Meat, bread, fruit, vegetables and water are all "performance enhancing". So you think that's all it takes for something to be banned? The notion of "unfairness" hasn't entered your thinking - while it drives that of WADA?

It isnt "subjective" because nothing you think would result in anything being banned. It requires expert opinion - which you don't have. Clearly, the level of possible performance enhancement would have to exceed what would naturally fall within nutrition and hydration, or salt tablets, chocolate bars and coffee, or no one could participate in sports. But since you can't see any dopers and don't see any advantages to them from doping you wouldn't have a clue what WADA considers unfairly performance enhancing.

Correct.

I'm not even in favor of banning bicarb supplementing; but it seems a dumb idea that they couldn't ban it, if they wanted to, by setting a baseline level that a person can't be over (or traces of the modern hydrogel delivery mechanism).

That is a good question.

Depends on your goal, but for most purposes, it is best in its pure concentrated form.