lactic acid

[grifter]

Hey Guys,

I have an important fitness test in about a week that involves a lot of running. Problem I have is that I build up quite a bit of lactic acid in my legs, like a pump and then afterward they start to cramp.
Is there any supplement that I can take to delay the lactic acid build up?
Does creatine delay the build up?

[JonnyO]

Scientists have proven what athletes have been claiming for years - that Granny's old cure-all, bicarbonate of soda, can enhance performance.

'Soda-doping', as it is known amongst professional sportsmen, can have a significant effect on endurance and speed.

Baking soda appears to work best to enhance speed. A study at Loughborough University found that of nine swimmers who took baking soda before an event, eight reduced their times, the Times reports.

Jonathan Folland, who led the study, said: 'Essentially, sodium bicarbonate is an alkali substance that increases the pH of the blood.

'This seems to reduce and offset the acidity produced in the muscles during intense, anaerobic exercise that produces lactic acid most quickly, such as fast running or swimming.'

Sodium bicarbonate, as anyone whose taken it for indigestion knows, reduces acids - helping the body to deal with the acidic waste products produced during exercise, that tire us more quickly.

But the substance isn't a miracle-worker - shaving seconds, not minutes, off performance time - so that only the most proficient athletes will notice a difference.

The swimmers in the Loughborough study cut 1.5 seconds from their 200m time. Which is hardly significant for most of us who take a leisurely few laps up and down the pool.

A study at the American College of Sports Medicine found that runners could also improve performance with baking soda.

But the substance - used before modern times as a household cleaning agent - can cause upset stomachs, and tastes foul. 'It is not dangerous, but it tastes appalling,' warns Dr Folland.

He says that only those who are very serious about sport should try the white powder, which may cause diarrhoea.

[grifter]

Thanks, I heard of that in the past, but never tried it.
Any idea on dose or how long before the event the bicarbonate should be taken. Any thoughts of taking it with a high glucose drink to spike the insulin levels and transport it to the blood stream quicker?

[O-Train]

Taken from the review article I posted up a while back. It really is worth a read. Cheers.

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda). During
high intensity exercise, acid (H+) and carbon
dioxide (CO2) accumulate in the muscle and
blood. One of the ways you get rid of the
acidity and CO2 is to buffer the acid and CO2
with bicarbonate ions. The acid and CO2 are
then removed in the lungs. Bicarbonate
loading (e.g., 0.3 grams per kg taken 60-90
minutes prior to exercise or 5 grams taken 2
times per day for 5-days) has been shown to
be an effective way to buffer acidity during
high intensity exercise lasting 1-3 minutes in
duration 294-297. This can improve exercise
capacity in events like the 400 - 800 m run or
100 – 200 m swim 298. Although bicarbonate
loading can improve exercise, some people
have difficulty with their stomach tolerating
Sports Nutrition Review Journal. 1 (1):1-44, 2004. (www.sportsnutritionsociety.org)
27
bicarbonate as it may cause gastrointestinal
distress.

[grifter]

Thanks guys!
I also found this online, which pretty much states what O Hurley previously mentioned. The dose isslightly different.

Before using either bicarbonate, it is wise to check with the governing body of your sport that the substance is not contrary to doping regulations. The most important practical point is the need to experiment with the supplement during training. Typically, an 800 metre runner, may perform a time trial on a particular day after a couple of days of light training. A further couple of days later, after only more light training, he/she can repeat the time trial in a similar environment after bicarbonate supplementation. The exact protocol would be to ingest 0.3 grms of sodium bicarbonate per kg body weight approximately one to two hours before the time trial. That is, for a 66kg runner, consume 20 grms of sodium bicarbonate (about four teaspoons) and, yes, the commonly found bicarb of soda is exactly the substance needed. This experimenting, if repeated several times, should reveal whether bicarb supplementation is likely to produce any benefit and whether the athlete concerned is susceptible to any side effects.

It is likely that large individual differences do exist as far as response to supplementation is concerned. It has been suggested that the more highly trained athletes are less likely to benefit from it because their body's natural buffering systems are already so well developed, but so far, this is just speculation. It has also been shown that sprinters build up more acidity within their muscles than endurance runners in response to the same exercise, and so may be more likely to benefit from the buffering effect. From the scientific research, it appears that the size of the dose is quite important, and that taking only 0.2 grms per kg is less likely to be beneficial than 0.3 grms per kg, although no evidence exists suggesting that an even greater dose is better still.

Side effects
As for the side effects, these may take the form of pain, cramping, diarrhoea or a feeling of being bloated. Drinking up to a litre of water with the dose is often effective and should be carried out as standard. Breaking up the bicarbonate dose into, say, four equal portions taken over the course of an hour may also help.

There are potential side effects to taking higher than normal levels of Sodium Bicarbonate so consult with your doctor first.

[Ritch]

Isn`t beta-alanine supposed to reduce lactic acid?