In August, Keely Hodgkinson Won Great Britain’s only Olympic gold medal on the track. The foundation of the 800m star’s global performance has come from a regime of intensity over kilometres, cross training, sand dune workouts and a £15 supplement which has been around for years but is enjoying a breakthrough year in 2024 have. Hodgkinson uses sodium bicarbonate – also known as baking powder – to fuel her training and races, specifically Maurten’s “bicarb system” which according to one leading trainer was used by 80% of endurance athletes in Paris. “I couldn’t recommend it highly enough,” said Hodgkinson’s coach, Trevor Painter. But why? What is it about sodium bicarbonate and the Maurten system that has been labeled “gold dust” by another leading trainer? And besides the bicarb, what other legal supplements are used? The industry is currently valued at $17.61bn (£13.15bn) – that’s an awful lot of pills, powders and drinks that claim to improve sports performance. Here we look at the evidence on four of them.
Beet shots
The root vegetables are packed with nitrates, which can boost athletic performance. However, to be effective, they need to be highly concentrated – a 75ml injection requires around six beets.
“When you eat nitrate-containing foods, some enter your enterosalivary system,” says Andy Jones, professor of applied physiology at Exeter University. “Salivary glands secrete nitrate-rich saliva, which breaks down the bacteria in your mouth into nitrite. You ingest this nitrite, which your gut converts into nitric oxide in the gut.” In turn, your blood vessels relax and dilate, and blood flow increases, making exercise “easier”, and you can work harder.
The evidence
Jones’s 2009 study saw cyclists enjoy a 16% increase in time-to-exhaustion during a time trial. Since then there have been multiple studies supporting claims of profits from the shots. Originally it was thought that endurance athletes were the only beneficiaries but recent research suggest that they also optimize performance in high-intensity sports such as sprinting and soccer. In addition, “Recreational athletes benefit more than elites,” says Jones, because elite athletes’ cardiovascular systems are already working close to their maximum.
Dosage and side effects
Ideally, shots should be taken two to three hours before exercise, as this is when nitrite concentration peaks. Fifteen Beet It shots cost £25 (around £1.66 each).
Apart from pink urine, there are no side effects. Remember to avoid mouthwash because it kills the bacteria in your mouth that start the nitric oxide process.
How was it for me?
I used beet shots when I completed l’Étape du Tour (where amateurs complete a stage of the Tour de France) a few years ago. I felt fresher and fitter, although it could be from making better food choices.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Probiotics are live microbial food supplements, while prebiotics are a source of fiber that fertilizes the good bacteria in your gut. You can get probiotics from fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha, while prebiotic foods include asparagus and garlic. Both also come in supplemental form. And both have the potential to improve your athletic prowess, especially if you’re a recreational runner or cyclist.
“Probiotics and prebiotics are associated with better general health, but there is increasing research [suggesting] they can also improve performance,” says Adam Collins, who is doing a PhD in prebiotics and exercise at Bath University.
The evidence
“A 2020 study showed that cyclists burn more carbohydrates per hour when supplemented with probiotics due to changes in the gut lining,” says Collins. The more carbohydrates you can break down and use during exercise without suffering from cramps and stomach problems, the theory goes, the more energy you have, and the longer and stronger you can run, ride or swim.
“Research also shows that probiotics can reduce the duration and incidence of illness in athletes, but not the severity,” adds Collins. And there are further victories in reducing the effects of respiratory diseasewhich is common for those who exercise outside in dry, wintry conditions.
Dosage and side effects
Many commercial probiotic drinks or pills have 25-50 billion bacteria per dose, of which you take one per day. “You’re looking at a daily hit of 2.5g to 10g of prebiotics,” says Collins. You can buy a combined probiotic and prebiotic supplement for around £20 for 60 capsules (around 33p a day).
When it comes to side effects, Collins says some people experience gas and bloating. “In the most serious cases, you will have to stop exercising and hit the toilet. Some also need to poop every time they urinate. But generally it passes quickly.”
How was it for me?
I’m currently a guinea pig in Collins’ prebiotic study – I may be getting a placebo so it’s too early to tell what the benefits are. Collins hopes to publish his study next year.
Creatine
Creatine is stored in the muscle as phosphocreatine and plays a key role in generating energy for all-out, maximal efforts. “The problem is that its stores are limited,” says Dr Marc Fell, team nutritionist at cycling team Ineos Grenadiers. “So, by consuming more creatine, you will resynthesize phosphocreatine faster during exercise, which means you can work harder.”
Creatine is usually found in red meat and shellfish, but in relatively small amounts, which is why supplementation is popular. This is also why supplementation may benefit vegetarians more than carnivores.
The evidence
A 2003 review of more than 500 studies found that about 70% of these studies reported statistically significant positive results. In a 2017 study, the creatine group increased muscle mass by 7.2% compared to the placebo group, while research in 2000 found that soccer players maintained sprinting and jumping performance on creatine. There is also growing evidence that creatine boosts brain health, cognition and memory, especially in older people.
Dosage and side effects
Creatine comes in many forms, but opt for the monohydrate version. It is proven to be absorbed quickly and has evidence to back it up, unlike supplements like creatine ethyl ester.
As for dosage, “It depends on how quickly you want to increase your creatine stores,” says Fell. “One option is a loading dose of 20g of creatine per day (taken in four 5g doses) for five days, followed by a daily dose of 3-5g. Or simply consume 5g per day. You may benefit more if you take creatine immediately after exercise and with carbohydrates such as rice or pasta.” A 250g tub of creatine powder starts at around £10. At 5g per serving that’s 20p a day.
“The most common side effect is weight gain, which occurs because creatine causes water retention in the muscles. It can lift up to 2 kg.” Which is not ideal for weight based sports like cycling.
How was it for me?
It provided a moderate lift in strength, but unfortunately for this 47-year-old, the water retention was more noticeable, making me look bloated. Fortunately, claims that creatine causes hair loss have been unfounded.
Baking powder
Studies on the performance-enhancing effects of bowl power date back to the 1930s, but the general and unwelcome effects it has on the digestive system have prevented widespread use by athletes.
Recently, however, sports nutrition companies have discovered ways to deliver the powder in a gel, which mostly overcomes these problems.
When you train hard, you feel “the burn”. This is due to a build-up of hydrogen ions that make your blood more acidic, leading to a decrease in muscle strength and performance. That’s where the “savior” sodium bicarbonate comes in. It is an alkaline buffer. Use it before exercise and, the theory goes, because you’re starting from a more alkaline base, you have the ability to work harder and, in Hodgkinson’s case, run faster before the blood turns acidic and slows you down.
The evidence
In 2021, the International Association of Sports Nutrition concluded that sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves performance in “muscular endurance activities … including boxing, judo, karate, taekwondo and wrestling, and in high-intensity cycling, running, swimming and rowing”.
Dr Andy Sparks, Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Liverpool John Moores University, carried out research in this area which led to him being hired by sports nutrition company Maurten. Their hydrogel formulations have enjoyed widespread use. “The carbohydrate hydrogel protects it in the stomach and optimizes bicarbonate delivery,” he says. “This new method of intake has extended its reach to endurance athletes and reduced potential side effects.”
Dosage and side effects
Currently, there are no independent studies on Maurten’s bicarbonate system. “But I wouldn’t put my name on any paper that I wasn’t confident was well executed, properly analyzed and interpreted,” says Sparks. “There is no way I would have made the move away from full-time academia if I wasn’t convinced of the effectiveness of the products. The athletes are also happy.”
As for cost, baking soda is nominal and can work. Maurten’s product starts at around £60 for four servings, so £15 a time. So, not cheap. Also, try this in training first, not racing, as you don’t want any gastro surprises.
How was it for me?
I briefly played with sodium bicarbonate in both pill and Maurten form, but could not draw any conclusions. I tried Maurten’s mix before a parkrun. There was no swell or wind – although the gusts sweeping off the Severn Channel again meant no conclusions could be drawn.
