Sodium citrate B
Alkalinizing supplement: a moderate effect on endurance, studied less thoroughly than bicarbonate
Citable fact
«Sodium citrate» — evidence level B. Dosage: 0.3-0.5 g per kg of body weight once 60-180 minutes before exercise, together with 400-600 ml of water. The dose is selected in training conditions: 0.5 g/kg more often causes diarrhea. Source: PMID 34503527, permanent link to the source in the list below.
How it works
Citrate is metabolized to bicarbonate and increases the blood buffer capacity, which slows muscle acidification during exercise above the lactate threshold. The action is the same as that of sodium bicarbonate, but gastrointestinal tolerability is usually better.
Dosage and intake
0.3-0.5 g per kg of body weight once 60-180 minutes before exercise, together with 400-600 ml of water. The dose is selected in training conditions: 0.5 g/kg more often causes diarrhea.
Once 60-180 minutes before exercise. Regular intake without exercise makes no sense: the effect is single-dose and tied to the peak blood pH.
Forms
Sodium citrate in powder or capsules. Sodium phosphate is a separate supplement with a different mechanism (in a study on cyclists a loading of 1 g four times a day for 6 days was used) and is not a replacement for citrate.
What is confirmed
- A moderate improvement in endurance performance lasting about 1-10 minutes and in repeated sprints
- Irritates the stomach less often than an equivalent dose of sodium bicarbonate
- Used for a specific competition, not as a course
Adverse effects and limitations
- Doses of 0.5 g/kg and above cause diarrhea, nausea and bloating
- The evidence base is smaller than that of sodium bicarbonate: some conclusions are carried over from it
- Contains a noticeable amount of sodium, which matters in hypertension and when salt is restricted
- It does not improve the result in everyone: some studies show no effect
Interactions
- Do not combine with sodium bicarbonate: the sodium load and the risk of diarrhea increase
- Diuretics and drugs affecting water and electrolyte balance increase the risk of electrolyte disorders
- Caffeine does not cancel the effect but increases the load on the stomach; there are few data on the combination
Who must not use it
- Under 18 years: Not recommended: there are insufficient data on safety and efficacy in children and adolescents.
- Pregnancy and lactation: Not recommended: there are no safety data for pregnancy and lactation.
- hypertension
- chronic kidney disease
- a tendency to diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome
- heart failure
Sources
- International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance · Grgic J, Pedisic Z, Saunders B · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021 · PMID 34503527
- Sodium phosphate loading improves laboratory cycling time-trial performance in trained cyclists · Folland JP, Stern R, Brickley G · Journal of science and medicine in sport, 2008 · PMID 17569583
See also
Open in the app
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