Post-exercise Supplementation of Sodium Bicarbonate Improves Acid Base Balance Recovery and Subsequent High-Intensity Boxing Specific Performance.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of post-exercise sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) ingestion (0.3 g.kg body mass) on the recovery of acid-base balance (pH, , and the SID) and subsequent exercise performance in elite boxers. Seven elite male professional boxers performed an initial bout of exhaustive exercise comprising of a boxing specific high-intensity interval running (HIIR) protocol, followed by a high-intensity run to volitional exhaustion (T). A 75 min passive recovery then ensued, whereby after 10 min recovery, participants ingested either 0.3 g.kg body mass NaHCO, or 0.1 g.kg body mass sodium chloride (PLA). Solutions were taste matched and administered double-blind. Participants then completed a boxing specific punch combination protocol, followed by a second high-intensity run to volitional exhaustion (T). Both initial bouts of T were well matched between PLA and NaHCO (ICC; = 0.94, = 0.002). The change in performance from T to T was greater following NaHCO compared to PLA (+164 ± 90 vs. +73 ± 78 sec; = 0.02, CI = 45.1, 428.8, = 1.0). Following ingestion of NaHCO, pH was greater prior to T by 0.11 ± 0.02 units (1.4%) ( < 0.001, CI = 0.09, 0.13, = 3.4), whilst was greater by 8.8 ± 1.5 mmol.l (26.3%) compared to PLA ( < 0.001, CI = 7.3, 10.2, = 5.1). The current study suggests that these significant increases in acid base balance during post-exercise recovery facilitated the improvement in the subsequent bout of exercise. Future research should continue to explore the role of NaHCO supplementation as a recovery aid in boxing and other combat sports.