Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41893591›Full record

ArticleSports (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms During a High-Intensity Training Session in Elite Rugby Players: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Blanca Couce, Selene Baos, Adrián Moreno-Villanueva, Anel E Recarey-Rodríguez, Juan Mielgo-Ayuso, María Martínez-Ferrán

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07017582 (Bicarbonate and Rugby), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07017582 nacompletednot on this map

Bicarbonate and Rugby

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad de BurgosRan2023 to 2023Enrolled17ConditionsSupplementationArmsSoidum Bicarbonate, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Blanca CouceFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Isabel I, 09003 Burgos, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-2299-8847
Selene BaosFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Isabel I, 09003 Burgos, Spain.
Adrián Moreno-VillanuevaFacultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Isabel I, 09003 Burgos, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-7301-0619
Anel E Recarey-RodríguezVicerrectorado de Transferencia, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, 28224 Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-9905-4700
Juan Mielgo-AyusoAdvanced Research in Integrative Physiology for Life Research Group (IAFIV), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-6554-4602
María Martínez-FerránAdvanced Research in Integrative Physiology for Life Research Group (IAFIV), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-5520-1270

Funding

Universidad Isabel I CEI23-03-PI084
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSodium bicarbonate (SB) supplementation can enhance performance in short, high-intensity movements. However, its effectiveness in team sports such as rugby remains insufficiently explored.

methodsIn this double-blind, parallel, controlled trial, 17 male professional rugby players ingested SB (0.3 g/kg) or a placebo 90 min before a high-intensity, rugby-specific training session monitored via GPS. The training session was conducted under real-world conditions to enhance ecological validity. Physical performance (countermovement jump, CMJ), fatigue markers (capillary lactate and ratings of perceived exertion, RPE), and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were assessed pre- and post-exercise.

resultsNo significant pre-post changes were observed in CMJ performance in either group. Lactate concentrations increased from pre- to post-exercise in both groups (both

conclusionsAcute SB ingestion at 0.3 g/kg did not result in detectable improvements in performance or fatigue markers during rugby-specific high-intensity training and was associated with a greater incidence of GI discomfort; however, the study was underpowered to detect small between-group differences. This study was registered on 23 May 2025 on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07017582).

Indexed as

bicarbonatecapillary lactateergogenic aidsgastrointestinal distressintermittent exerciseperformancerugby

Identifiers

PMID41893591
PMCPMC13029924

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.