The Effect of Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Rugby Players.

NCT07017582 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Bicarbonaterugby
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 17
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objetive of the study was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves athletic performance and/or reduces fatigue in elite rugby players. The participants were 17 elite rugby players. Half of the participants receive sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg body weight), the other half receive a placebo (salt). Ingestion of the supplementation/placebo occured 90 minutes before high-intensity rugby-specific training Variables analysed were measure at baseline, prior to exercise, during exercise and after exercise.

Conditions

Supplementation

Keywords

Bicarbonate; Rugby; Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Capillary blood lactate

  Lactate concentrations were measured in a capillary blood sample obtained fromparticipants' fingertips using a portable analyzer (Lactate 2, Arkray, Kyoto, Japan)

  At baseline (prior to supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Countermovement jump

  At baseline (prior to supplementation) and after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).

• Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms

  At baseline (before supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).

Study Arms (2)

Bicarbonate

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Supplementation with 0.3 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate

Dietary Supplement: Soidum Bicarbonate

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Supplementation with placebo: 0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride

Dietary Supplement: Placebo

Interventions

Soidum Bicarbonate DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Supplementation with 0.03 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate

Bicarbonate

Placebo DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Male rugby players who were competing in the First Spanish National League (Division de Honor A) voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after attending an informative session

You may not qualify if:

• injury or illness on test day

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad de Burgos: lead
• Universidad Isabel I: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Universidad de Burgos

Burgos, Spain

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 23, 2025
• First Posted: June 12, 2025
• Study Start: February 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: February 14, 2023
• Study Completion: February 15, 2023
• Last Updated: June 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (1)