Warm-Up Intensity Does Not Affect the Ergogenic Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate in Adult Men

<p>This study determined the influence of a high- (HI) versus low-intensity (LI) cycling warm-up on blood acid-base responses and exercise capacity following ingestion of sodium bicarbonate (SB; 0.3 g/kg body mass) or a placebo (PLA; maltodextrin) 3 hr prior to warm-up. Twelve men (21?±?2 years, 79.2?±?3.6 kg body mass, and maximum power output [Wmax] 318?±?36 W) completed a familiarization and four double-blind trials in a counterbalanced order: HI warm-up with SB, HI warm-up with PLA, LI warm-up with SB, and LI warm-up with PLA. LI warm-up was 15 min at 60% Wmax, while the HI warm-up (typical of elites) featured LI followed by 2?×?30 s (3-min break) at Wmax, finishing 30 min prior to a cycling capacity test at 110% Wmax. Blood bicarbonate and lactate were measured throughout. SB supplementation increased blood bicarbonate (+6.4 mmol/L; 95% confidence interval, CI [5.7, 7.1]) prior to greater reductions with HI warm-up (?3.8 mmol/L; 95% CI [?5.8, ?1.8]). However, during the 30-min recovery, blood bicarbonate rebounded and increased in all conditions, with concentrations ?5.3 mmol/L greater with SB supplementation (p?</p>