#177: Can Baking Soda Make You Faster?

This week we dive into the science of lactate, that familiar burning sensation you feel in the closing stages of a hard race, and explore why bicarbonate of soda – baking powder – is being used by elite athletes to slow down lactate acid production. We look at how athletes can train to improve lactate tolerance, considering diet, lifestyle and age as a factor. We consider why elite athletes across different sports have experimented with taking bicarb supplements and whether it can genuinely help swimmers hold their speed when fatigue kicks in. Joining us are Jack Gray and Josh Elston-Carr from sports nutrition brand, FLYCARB. They bring scientific knowledge and performance experience to the conversation. We discuss how bicarb works as a buffering agent, why it’s been used across multiple different sports since the golden era of Coe vs Ovett on the track. We also look at the downsides and discuss whether supplementation has a placebo effect on performance. This episode breaks down physiology, training, and the practical applications in a way that’s (hopefully) easy to understand. If you’d like to try bicarb for yourself, visit https://www.flycarb.com and use the code FREESTYLE10.