Using Baking Soda to train through Lactic Acid burn? (Read 1774 times)

It does not work.

Hi, I overheard a conversation a few months ago, I don't recall where, that runners in the 70's-80's would consume a little bit of baking soda before doing track intervals. Apparently it would offset the Lactic Acid buildup in the muscles and allow you to run a faster track session. (Baking soda is a Base, offsetting the Acid) Did anyone actually do this, or know runners who did? Did it actually work? I'm guessing it didn't, since nobody seems to do this today. ? Anyway, I just found this webpage about it, which reminded me of the overheard conversation, so thought I'd ask the masses (Running Ahead community) about real experiences. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1045970/A-spoonful-baking-soda-DOES-speed-say-scientists.html

MTA: Trent's answer is better than mine, earlier than mine, and more correct than mine.

I highly doubt the bicarb would make it past your stomach acid. As a base, most of it would be neutralized in the stomach. It might be of benefit but probably not for the reasons cited. The neutralization of bicarb would produce salts and carbohydrate compounds.

This thread is evidence that runners will try the craziest crap in the pursuit of getting faster. My heart is warmed.

Hi, I overheard a conversation a few months ago, I don't recall where, that runners in the 70's-80's would consume a little bit of baking soda before doing track intervals. Apparently it would offset the Lactic Acid buildup in the muscles and allow you to run a faster track session. (Baking soda is a Base, neutralizing the Acid) Did anyone actually do this, or know runners who did? Did it actually work? I'm guessing it didn't, since nobody seems to do this today. ? Anyway, I just found this webpage about it, which reminded me of the overheard conversation, so thought I'd ask the masses (Running Ahead community) about real experiences. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1045970/A-spoonful-baking-soda-DOES-speed-say-scientists.html

It makes you vomit. Fast.

Now I actually found this quite interesting... I drink pop once in a while. I was talking to Lorraine Moller and when I said that, she said, "Pop makes you acidic..." I like Diet Squirt (no sponsorship from them...yet) but I also add a dozen drops of Liquid Mineral that Lorraine suggested years ago and I swear by. In fact, the only time I got sick (I mean, sinus infection type of sickness) was when I ran out of it and forgot to get it (seriously, folks!). This liquid mineral is very salty and it seems to nuetralize pop; or at least it eases it. I try to pay attention to what I eat and drink. I noticed when I did some hard intervals or tempo run, I crave milk. Our household drink quite a bit of milk but, during the racing season, I drink probably twice or three times more milk! I never thought about nuetralize blood pH or anthing like that; I just noticed that I crave it. I also noticed, when I get heart burn, drinking milk seems to settle it. I also found that article quite interesting. So "scientists found..." huh? I thought they also found out recently that lactic acid is our friend and not enemy...??? You know, I'm no scientific geneous or anything but I always get frustrated with articles like this; this is a type of article Richard Gibbens, who recently found this forum and started posting his infamous gibberish here, love and use to argue with any of us to promote his Power Running stuff. "Show me the literature that supports..." Here it is; on one hand, scientists would say lactic acid is friend, which, of course, scientists use to tell us that clog up our muscles, and here tell us that, with baking soda removing lactic acid, endurance performance will be improved... In short, we just don't know what the heck is going on in our body and, while "scientists", or psuedo-scientist like Dick, go on and supporting their own nonsense like "you can fulfill your potential by running less..." "Reserach supports that!" Well, here we go; so what does "research" reall tell us here?

Both approaches will make you belch.