Acute Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation in Female Basketball Players

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) is commonly proposed as an ergogenic aid due to its potential to enhance extracellular buffering capacity, thereby supporting acid-base balance and delaying fatigue during repeated high-intensity exercise. This mechanism may be particularly relevant in basketball, where performance depends on repeated short-duration, high-intensity efforts, rapid recovery between actions, and the ability to maintain power output during demanding phases of play. Although the ergogenic effects of SB supplementation have been widely investigated, existing evidence has primarily focused on male participants, and data regarding highly trained female athletes remain limited. This creates an important knowledge gap, especially in team sports such as basketball, where sex-specific physiological responses, training status, and sport-specific demands may influence the effectiveness and tolerability of supplementation strategies. This study will evaluate the effect of a single dose of SB compared with placebo. Participants will receive SB or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. The SB dose will be 0.3 g/kg body mass, administered 90 minutes before the exercise protocol, with intervention visits separated by a washout period. By using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, this study will allow for the evaluation of individual responses to acute SB supplementation under controlled laboratory conditions. The findings may help clarify whether acute SB intake is an effective and tolerable strategy for supporting physical capacity and biochemical responses in highly trained female basketball players.

• Changes in oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, and minute ventilation during the repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Test [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in relative oxygen uptake during the repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Test [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in respiratory exchange ratio during the repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Test [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in breathing frequency during the repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Test [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in tidal volume during the repeated modified Wingate Anaerobic Test [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in heart rate during the exercise protocol [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in rate of perceived exertion [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in gastrointestinal symptoms [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in body mass, fat-free mass, fat mass, total body water, intracellular water, and extracellular water [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in fat-free mass percentage, fat mass percentage, total body water percentage, intracellular water percentage, and extracellular water percentage [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in white blood cell count, white blood cell subpopulations, red blood cell count, and platelet count [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]
• Changes in hemoglobin concentration [Срок оценки: At the Day 0 (familiarization visit), Day 7 (baseline visit), Day 14 (experimental visit 1), and Day 21 (experimental visit 2)]