Available studies on PR Lotion containing sodium bicarbonate show mixed results: some trials find minor performance improvements or reduced perceived exertion during repeated sprints (partially driven by menthol-induced cooling rather than bicarbonate buffering), whereas other studies observe no significant performance benefits compared to placebos during exercising models.
ABSTRACT Objective This study examined the effects of oral and topical (PR Lotion; Momentous) sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) during a battery of team sport-specific exercise tests. Method In a block randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 14 recreationally trained male team sport athletes performed a familiarization visit and three experimental trials receiving: (i) 0.3 g·kg−1 body mass (BM) NaHCO3 in capsules + placebo lotion (SB-ORAL), (ii) placebo capsules +0.9036 g·kg−1 BM PR Lotion (SB-LOTION), or (iii) placebo capsules + placebo lotion (PLA). Supplements were given ~120 min prior to the team sport-specific exercise tests: countermovement jumps (CMJ), 8 × 25 m repeated sprints and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2). Blood acid–base balance (pH, bicarbonate) and electrolytes (sodium, potassium) were measured throughout. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded after each sprint and post-Yo-Yo IR2. Results Distance covered during the Yo-Yo IR2 was 21% greater for SB-ORAL compared with PLA (+94 m; p = 0.009, d = 0.64) whereas performance was only 7% greater for SB-LOTION compared with PLA (480 ± 122 vs. 449 ± 110 m; p = 0.084). Total completion time for the 8 × 25 m repeated sprint test was 1.9% faster for SB-ORAL compared with PLA (−0.61 s; p = 0.020, d = 0.38) and 2.0% faster for SB-LOTION compared with PLA (−0.64 s; p = 0.036, d = 0.34). CMJ performance was similar between treatments (p > 0.05). Blood acid–base balance and electrolytes were significantly improved for SB-ORAL compared with PLA, but no differences were observed for SB-LOTION. Compared to PLA, RPE was lower for SB-LOTION after the fifth (p = 0.036), sixth (p = 0.012), and eighth (p = 0.040) sprints and for SB-ORAL after the sixth (p = 0.039) sprint. Conclusions Oral NaHCO3 improved 8 × 25 m repeated sprint (~2%) and Yo-Yo IR2 performance (21%). Similar improvements in repeated sprint times were observed for topical NaHCO3 (~2%), but no significant benefits
The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent. ABSTRACT Objective This study examined the effects of oral and topical (PR Lotion; Momentous) sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) during a battery of team sport-specific exercise tests.
While the deleterious effects of declining pH during exercise are debated [ 4 ], a cellular acidosis is suggested to inhibit energy production via anaerobic glycolysis and limit action potentials required for muscle contractions [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]. These biochemical changes contribute toward skeletal muscle fatigue [ 7 , 8 ], therefore nutritional strategies that restore acid–base balance could prove beneficial during team sport exercise. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) is an extracellular buffering aid that has been extensively researched [ 9 ].
PR Lotion adopts an innovative formulation that encapsulates NaHCO 3 molecules within fatty acid salts that fluidize the outermost layer of skin and modulate tight junctions in the epidermis, allowing NaHCO 3 molecules to be absorbed into the bloodstream [ 25 ]. McKay et al. [ 26 ] reported that PR Lotion did not significantly improve average power during 3 × 30 s Wingate cycling tests compared to a placebo ( p = 0.108). However, they also found no differences in time-to-exhaustion (TTE) cycling performance between oral NaHCO 3 and PR Lotion (363 ± 80 vs. 349 ± 119 s, p = 0.697).
They also repeated VAS and treatment assignment questionnaires and rated on 1–5 Likert type scales how much they expected the supplement they thought had been given to improve performance (“1” = no expectations, “5” = extremely high expectations). After the 10-min warm-up, blood samples were repeated. Participants commenced the team sport-specific exercise tests 120 min after applying PR Lotion (~105 min after the final set of capsules). Additional blood samples were analyzed for lactate after CMJ tests and the repeated sprints. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE; 6–20 Borg scale) was recorded after each sprint and post-Yo-Yo IR2. Blood sampling was repeated pre- and post-Yo-Yo IR2.
As such, we suggest an alternative mechanism was responsible for faster repeated sprint times during SB-LOTION. One explanation could be a localized cooling sensation from menthol (~0.5%) in PR Lotion [ 39 ]. Menthol is a cyclic terpene alcohol that may improve exercise performance by inducing a “cooling” effect to the skin via stimulation of the membrane-bound ion channel transient receptor potential melastatin 8 [ 39 ].
We propose that the “cooling” effect from menthol in PR Lotion induced a similar centrally acting mechanism that attenuated localized muscle pain [ 45 ], meaning participants’ perception of muscle discomfort was lower than their actual degree of muscle fatigue [ 41 ], which allowed them to exert greater effort during the repeated sprint test. Future work should attempt to further elucidate potential physiological mechanisms responsible for ergogenic benefits of PR Lotion.
Oral NaHCO 3 improved Yo-Yo IR2 and repeated sprint performance, which can likely be explained by elevated HCO 3 − buffering, increased glycolytic flux and sustained excitation–contraction coupling. PR Lotion had no significant effect on blood
Therefore, we propose that ~2% improvements in repeated sprint times for PR Lotion can be attributed to an interaction between NaHCO 3 molecules and menthol that intensified the cooling sensation, subsequently reducing participants’ perception of effort and allowing them to exert greater physical effort during the 8 × 25 m repeated sprint test. In conclusion, PR Lotion appears to improve RSA in team sport athletes, but further research is required to elucidate the physiological mechanisms responsible for performance benefits. Acknowledgments We gratefully acknowledge the commitment of all participants and would like to thank our laboratory technicians for preparing supplements.
This study investigated the effect of oral and topical sodium bicarbonate (SB) on soccer-specific performance during simulated soccer exercise. In a block randomized, double-blind, crossover design, 10 collegiate male soccer players (stature: 181.7 ± 3.2 cm, body mass: 81.7 ± 10.5 kg) performed soccer-specific performance tests (countermovement jumps, Illinois agility, 8 × 25 m repeated sprints) throughout a 90-min soccer-specific aerobic field test (SAFT90) following 0.3 g/kg body mass SB in capsules (SB-ORAL), 0.9036 g/kg body mass PR Lotion (SB-LOTION), or placebo capsules and lotion (PLA). Soccer-specific performance tests were conducted pre-SAFT90, during half-time and post-SAFT90. Blood samples were analyzed for acid-base balance (pH; bicarbonate, HCO3-) and strong ions (sodium, Na+; potassium, K+). Average sprint times were quicker for SB-ORAL than PLA during half-time (3.7%; p = .049; g = .57) and post-SAFT90 (4.9%; p = .041; g = .66). SB-ORAL increased pH and HCO3- prewarm-up and during half-time (p < .05), and lowered K+ during half-time (p = .035) compared with PLA. SB-LOTION increased pH (p = .019) and lowered K+ (p = .012) during half-time compared with PLA. SB-LOTION increased Na+ postexercise compared with PLA (p = .008). Repeated sprint times during simulated soccer exercise improved for SB-ORAL, which might have been mechanistically underpinned by elevated blood buffering capacity and greater regulation of strong ion concentration. Consuming SB in capsules is a more effective strategy than topical SB application for improving blood buffering capacity and repeated sprint performance throughout competitive soccer matches.
Oral but Not Topical Sodium Bicarbonate Improves Repeated Sprint Performance During Simulated Soccer Match Play Exercise in Collegiate Athletes. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism. [Article] Copyright and re-use policy See http://shura.shu.ac.uk/information.html Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive http://shura.shu.ac.uk Oral but Not Topical Sodium Bicarbonate Improves Repeated Sprint Performance During Simulated Soccer Match Play Exercise in Collegiate Athletes William H. Gurton, 1 Lewis A. Gough, 2 Jason C. Siegler, 3 Anthony Lynn, 4,5 and Mayur K.
Consuming SB in capsules is a more effective strategy than topical SB application for improving blood buffering capacity and repeated sprint performance throughout competitive soccer matches. Keywords: acid–base balance, strong ions, ergogenic aids, lotion, agility Sodium bicarbonate (SB) is an ergogenic aid for athletes during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise ( Carr et al., 2011 ). Substantial anaerobic energy demand causes excessive accumula- tion of hydrogen cations (H +) within active muscles, leading to declining intramuscular pH ( Sahlin, 2014 ).
Despite not measuring changes occurring within the muscle, elevated intracellular Ca 2+ would increase rate of troponin C binding for skeletal muscle contractions (Debold et al., 2008) and higher intramuscular K + levels are crucial for preserving muscle excitability ( Cairns & Lindinger, 2008 ; Street et al., 2005 ). No improvements in repeated sprint performance were re- ported during half-time for SB-LOTION, with small positive changes in blood pH and K + compared with PLA, which expands on previous findings ( Gurton, Greally et al., 2023 ; McKay et al., 2020).
Improved repeated sprint performance for oral but not topical SB could be explained by differences in blood buffering capacity and strong ion concentration, as these were consistently lower for SB-LOTION. Gibson et al. ( 2023) documented marked increases in blood pH ( +0.04 au) after applying 80 g PR Lotion (∼1.23 g/kg BM), suggesting that larger doses of PR Lotion might elicit a greater rise in pH and thus be more likely to improve performance, but dose –response investigations are warranted to elucidate this theory. Interestingly, SB-LOTION attenuated RPE during the first and second SAFT90 blocks.
Importantly, despite the placebo lotion also containing menthol, greater cooling sensations were reported for SB-LOTION, inferring SB molecules somehow contributed to stronger cooling sensations. These may have resulted in analgesic effects that alleviated localized muscle discomfort (Pan et al., 2012) and caused participants ’ feelings of muscle pain to be lower than their actual degree of fatigue ( Johar et al., 2012 ). This offers some insight to how SB-LOTION reduced RPE during the SAFT90. Nonetheless, as RPE was similar from Blocks 3 to 6, it appears effects wore off during exercise. Sprint times were ∼4.5% faster for SB-ORAL post-SAFT90 compared with SB-LOTION and PLA.
https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2020-0031 Gurton, W.H., Faulkner, S.H., & James, R.M. (2021). Effect of warm-up and sodium bicarbonate ingestion on 4-km cycling time-trial perfor- mance. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 16(11), 1573 –1579. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0743 Gurton, W.H., Gough, L.A., Sparks, S.A., Faghy, M.A., & Reed, K.E. (2020). Sodium bicarbonate ingestion improves time-to-exhaustion cycling performance and alters estimated energy system contribution: A dose-response investigation. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7 , Article 154.
(2020). The placebo and nocebo effect on sports performance: A systematic review. European Journal of Sport Science,
Journal of Sports Sciences, 22 (1), 95 –113. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 0264041031000140581 McKay, A.K.A., Peeling, P., Binnie, M.J., Goods, P.S.R., Sim, M., Cross, R., & Siegler, J. (2020). Topical sodium bicarbonate: No improve- ment in blood buffering capacity or exercise performance. Interna- tional Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15 (7), 1005– 1011. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2019-0345 McNaughton, L.R., Gough, L., Deb, S., Bentley, D., & Sparks, S.A. (2016). Recent developments in the use of sodium bicarbonate as an ergogenic aid. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 15 (4), 233 –244.
Introduction: Oral bicarbonate loading improves the buffering of metabolic acidosis and may improve exercise performance but can also result in gastric distress. Momentous’ PR Lotion contains a novel composition intended to provide a transdermal delivery vehicle for sodium bicarbonate which could allow the same ergogenic effect without the gastric distress. The present study explored the effect of transdermal delivery of sodium bicarbonate in a resting condition. Methods: We measured the pH from intramuscular dialysate, via microdialysis, of the vastus lateralis during a 2 h application of PR Lotion (40 g of lotion per leg) in 9 subjects (3 women, 6 men). Venous blood samples were obtained for serum pH before and after application. A placebo time control was also performed in 4 subjects (2 women, 2 men). We hypothesized that PR Lotion application would increase pH of intramuscular dialysate. Results: PR Lotion resulted in a rise in pH of 0.13 ± 0.04 units (p < 0.05), which translates to a 28% reduction in [H+]. Increases in serum pH were smaller (∼9%) yet consistent (p < 0.05). In contrast, placebo time control pH tended to decrease (p = 0.08). The effect of PR Lotion on pH tended to correlate with the dose per kg body weight of each individual (r = 0.70, p = 0.08). Conclusion: These observations support the idea of transdermal bicarbonate delivery impacting pH buffering both systemically and intramuscularly. Further work investigating these potential benefits in an exercising model would be critical to establishing PR Lotion’s utility as an ergogenic aid.
Abstract Introduction: Oral bicarbonate loading improves the buffering of metabolic acidosis and may improve exercise performance but can also result in gastric distress. Momentous’ PR Lotion contains a novel composition intended to provide a transdermal delivery vehicle for sodium bicarbonate which could allow the same ergogenic effect without the gastric distress. The present study explored the effect of transdermal delivery of sodium bicarbonate in a resting condition. Methods: We measured the pH from intramuscular dialysate, via microdialysis, of the vastus lateralis during a 2 h application of PR Lotion (40 g of lotion per leg) in 9 subjects (3 women, 6 men).
Conclusion: These observations support the idea of transdermal bicarbonate delivery impacting pH buffering both systemically and intramuscularly. Further work investigating these potential benefits in an exercising model would be critical to establishing PR Lotion’s utility as an ergogenic aid. Keywords: athletic performance, metabolic acidosis, acidosis lactic, anaerobic threshold, alkalosis status released display-pdf yes is-olf no is-manuscript no is-preprint no is-journal-matter no is-scanned no is-retracted no Received 2023 Jan 11; Accepted 2023 Feb 14; Collection date 2023.
Disturbances in these ion concentrations have been implicated in depressed force production and muscle fatigue ( McKenna et al., 2008 ). For decades, the bicarbonate buffering system has been a target of ergogenic supplements and interventions, primarily using oral loading of exogenous sodium bicarbonate in the hours to days preceding an intense exercise bout ( Galloway and Maughan, 1996 ; Marx et al., 2002 ; Carr et al., 2011 ; Calvo et al., 2021 ).
Momentous’ PR Lotion contains a proprietary composition intended to provide a transdermal delivery vehicle for sodium bicarbonate that could improve bicarbonate buffering of H+ produced during exercise, without the potential for gastric distress. Initial work by McKay et al. , ( McKay et al., 2020 ), compared the effects of PR Lotion to oral loading of sodium bicarbonate and found no changes in systemic acid-base status with PR Lotion, but did for oral sodium bicarbonate.
Figure 5 displays the relation of dosage to the change in intramuscular dialysate pH from baseline to end-of-study. There was a trend for the change in pH to be greater in subjects who received higher doses relative to body mass of PR Lotion ( r = 0.70, p = 0.080). FIGURE 5 Relation of dosage to the change in intramuscular dialysate pH during the primary study. 4 Discussion The current study was designed to explore the effectiveness of PR Lotion as a transdermal delivery vehicle for sodium bicarbonate to skeletal muscle under a resting condition.
However, other changes in Na + and K + concentrations were either inconsistent or were observed during both the primary study and the placebo time control ( Table 2 ). 4.1 Bicarbonate loading Early work by Costill et al. , ( Costill et al., 1984 ), found that oral sodium bicarbonate could reduce metabolic acidosis in response to repeated bouts of supramaximal cycling and this was associated with improvements in cycling performance.
4.2 Exercise performance and pH The development of an acidic muscle environment in response to exercise has been shown in ex vivo animal models to reduce contractile function of skeletal muscle fibers where H + are thought to competitively inhibit calcium binding at troponin-c, a specific regulatory site that allows for cross-bridge cycling to occur ( Brenner, 1988 ; Parsons et al., 1997 ; Brenner et al., 1999 ).
, ( Costill et al., 1984 ), reporting skeletal muscle pH after maximal exercise was preserved at a higher value (pH = 6.86 ± 0.06) in the sodium bicarbonate group compared to an exercising control (pH = 6.72 ± 0.04). As such we believe these changes are of a physiologically relevant magnitude to have a potential ergogenic effect. 4.6 Conclusion This study was intended to explore the effectiveness of PR Lotion’s proprietary composition to act as a transdermal delivery vehicle for sodium bicarbonate. While we did not study subjects during exercise, the effects of PR Lotion on pH, Na + , and K + in a resting condition suggest a potential benefit to exercise performance following application.
Serendipitously, we may have revealed a minimal dosage requirement for alkalinization of skeletal muscle with
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