Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and exercise
What 4 graded rows on sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) agree on for exercise, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and exercise
4 rows · 2,587 peopleMostly an improvement: 3 of 4 rows, and most of the people. 1 had mixed results.
- BGrade B× 2
- CGrade C× 2
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 238
- People
- 2,587
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 2,019 people (2022) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 126 to 2,019 people, published from 2022 to 2026: 4 pooled reviews and 0 single studies.
The rows
3 improved · 1 mixed- BGrade BHigh-intensity exercise capacity and performance · Improved
Meta-analysis, 189 studies · n 2,019 · 2022 · Adults in 189 placebo-controlled studies (158 with sodium bicarbonate)
Varied; typically 0.2–0.3 g/kg · Single dose to multi-day
Overall effect versus placebo ES 0.17 (95% CrI 0.12–0.21); largest for 0.5–10 minute efforts (ES 0.18) and >10 minutes (ES 0.22). Blood bicarbonate rose 5.2 mmol/L.
Row on the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page · PubMed 34687438 (opens PubMed)
- BGrade BCycling time-trial performance · Improved
Meta-analysis, 18 studies · n 201 · 2023 · Cyclists in 18 placebo-controlled trials
Varied by trial; standardized timing or individual time-to-peak · Single dose
Versus placebo, mean power rose (SMD 0.42, 95% CI 0.21–0.63) and time-trial performance time improved (SMD 0.22, 95% CI 0.02–0.43), with no heterogeneity (I² = 0%).
Row on the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page · PubMed 35633035 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CHigh-intensity intermittent exercise in team sports · Improved
Meta-analysis, 20 studies · n 241 · 2026 · Team-sport athletes in 20 randomized trials
Varied by trial · Single dose to short-term
Small benefit for intermittent high-intensity performance (Hedges' g 0.23, 95% CI 0.07–0.39), but no clear effect on repeated sprints, mean power or intermittent endurance; the prediction interval crossed zero.
Row on the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page · PubMed 42781544 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CContinuous running performance · Mixed
Meta-analysis, 11 studies · n 126 · 2025 · Mostly male runners in 11 crossover trials
Typically 0.3 g/kg · Single dose
After adjusting for GI-related withdrawals and publication bias, the effect was negligible and not significant (SMD 0.18, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.36); GI symptoms 29.5% vs 2.6% with placebo.
Row on the Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) page · PubMed 41416636 (opens PubMed)