Sodium vs Sodium Bicarbonate
Short answer: Overall, Sodium gets more positive reports (100% vs 57%).
Sodium has 3,974 meta-analyses and 13,249 randomized trials on PubMed; Sodium Bicarbonate has 197 and 715.
Based on 17 reports about Sodium and 19 about Sodium Bicarbonate. Not medical advice.
| Sodium Supplement | Sodium Bicarbonate Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 100%helped5 reports · few reports | 57%helped7 reports · few reports |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 3,974 / 13,249 | 197 / 715 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Energy % reporting improvement | 100% (6) | — |
| Common side effects | increased urination | diarrhea, nausea, gastrointestinal distress |
| Typical dose reported | 5 g / daily | 1000 mg / before bed |
However, we found a linear relationship across the entire range of sodium exposure in an analysis restricted to studies that used 24 h urinary sodium excretion information and had a low risk of bias. This review confirms prior findings based on experimental studies and identified an almost linear relationship between sodium intake/excretion and hypertension risk in cohort studies, reinforcing the validity of recommendations to prevent cardiovascular disease through the reduction of sodium intake in both normotensive and hypertensive adults.
Curr Hypertens Rep, 2022 ↗“The #1 thing that helped me was potassium, sodium, you have magnesium. Once I was hydrated and got a constant cycle of electroytes I feel great. Potassium is my answer”
β-alanine had a significant overall effect while subgroup analyses revealed a number of modifying factors. These data allow individuals to make informed decisions as to the likelihood of an ergogenic effect with β-alanine supplementation based on their chosen exercise modality.
Br J Sports Med, 2017 ↗“I just took 2 teaspoons with some water. My brain fog feels like it's melting away and I can focus much easier.”
Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate