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Sigma Nutrition Radio

#580: Sodium Bicarbonate for Sports Performance – Prof. Lewis Gough

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Danny Lennon

Nutrition, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 633 Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Sodium bicarbonate is one of the most consistently supported ergogenic aids in sports nutrition research, yet its underlying mechanisms and real-world applications remain widely misunderstood.

More recent developments have focused on how to optimise both the timing and formulation of supplementation. The "individualised ingestion timing" approach has emerged as a practical strategy, recognising that the time-to-peak blood bicarbonate concentration varies considerably between individuals.

Similarly, novel formulations are being explored to address issues with gastrointestinal distress and practicality of dosing. These include topical approaches such as sodium bicarbonate lotion, and commercial products like Maurten's "Bicarb System."

In this episode, Prof. Lewis Gough joins to discuss the latest evidence on sodium bicarbonate and performance, its mechanisms, novel delivery systems, and the key directions for future research.

Dr. Lewis Gough is a Professor of Nutrition and Physiology at Birmingham City University. He is globally recognized for his research on sodium bicarbonate supplementation in sport, and his work spans applied sport and exercise nutrition, exercise metabolism, acid–base balance, and fatigue.

Timestamps

  • [03:12] Professor Gough's academic journey
  • [06:29] Mechanisms of sodium bicarbonate and historical perspective on lactate
  • [11:21] Sodium bicarbonate's role in performance
  • [22:45] Individual responses to sodium bicarbonate
  • [26:53] Timing strategies for sodium bicarbonate
  • [32:38] Individualized approach to sodium bicarbonate timing
  • [36:47] Traditional vs. novel delivery methods
  • [44:27] Practical recommendations for athletes
  • [51:18] Future research directions
  • [01:02:08] Key Ideas segment

Resources

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello and welcome to Sigma Nutrition Radio. This is episode 580 of the podcast. Today we're going to be talking all about sodium bicarbonate for sports performance. It's one of the most consistently supported ergogenic aids in sports nutrition research. Yet there is still sometimes confusion over some of the underlying mechanisms,

0:22.6

as well as the potential applications for this and in what contexts. And so to help work through

0:28.8

this, today I'm going to be talking with Professor Lewis Goff, who is Associate Professor in

0:34.0

Nutrition and Physiology at Birmingham City University in the UK, globally recognized

0:39.0

for his research on sodium bicarbonate supplementation in sport, as well as more broadly in

0:44.4

other areas related to sports and exercise science, whether that's sport physiology or looking

0:50.3

at other types of supplements. So we're going to be diving into a variety of interesting areas here,

0:57.0

starting out of what sodium bicarbonate does,

0:59.8

some of the mechanisms by which it may have a benefit,

1:02.3

in what specific context and sports that might be applicable,

1:06.2

and then looking at the evidence to see what magnitude of performance benefit we may see and how consistent

1:12.2

that could be. Before we're looking at some of the advances in more recent years about sodium

1:17.7

bicarbonate supplementation. So looking at novel formulations, looking at different types of

1:23.8

dosing and timing strategies around sodium bicarbonate as well as the methods of administration.

1:29.3

And so hopefully all of this will get you up to date on this evidence-based and looking at the not only underlying mechanisms,

1:37.3

but all the way up to the application of this in elite level sport.

1:42.3

So remember if you are a Sigma Nutrition premium subscriber,

1:45.7

you will be able to get a set of detailed study notes to accompany this episode, which will

1:50.2

clarify all the key terminology that is discussed, go into each of the concepts that are covered

1:55.8

throughout this discussion, have a bit more of an explanation so that you can understand it

2:00.3

more deeply or to be able

2:01.8

to revise over that material at any time. You'll also get a full transcript to the episode as

...

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