Abstract
In combat sports, anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity determine sport performance and the dominant metabolic pathways. The decline in performance during exercise that is attributed to the cumulative effects of fatigue, including excessive accumulation of metabolites, depletion of energy substrates, and water and electrolyte disturbances, seems to be of greatest significance. In our experiment, we evaluated the effectiveness of three weeks of bicarbonate-rich water ingestion on anaerobic performance in a state of hydration and dehydration in elite judo athletes. Eight male, elite judo athletes participated in two single-blind, repeated-measures trials. They were assigned to two hydration protocols, ingesting low mineralized table water and bicarbonate-rich water. Anaerobic performance was evaluated by two 30 s Wingate tests for lower and upper limbs, respectively, under conditions of hydration as well as exercise-induced dehydration. Resting, post-ingestion, and post-exercise concentrations of bicarbonate (HCO3), urine osmolality (UOSM), urine specific gravity (UGRAV), and lactate (La) were measured. The current investigation assessed two related factors that impair anaerobic performance—hypohydration and buffering capacity. High-bicarbonate water ingestion improved buffering capacity, and we demonstrated the potential role of this mechanism and its phenomenon in masking the adverse effects of dehydration in the context of repeated high-intensity anaerobic exercise (HIAE).
Highlights
In combat sports, anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity determine sport performance and the dominant metabolic pathways
Given the limited research on well-trained athletes and the possible effect of bicarbonate intake on the relationship between hypohydration and anaerobic performance, this study aimed to determine the effects of buffering capacity on lactate efflux and selected Wingate test variables—total work and fatigue slope under different hydration conditions
The results of our experiment are in line with many other well-controlled studies, which used high-intensity exercise protocols to verify the effectiveness of ergogenic substances that improve buffering capacity, including HCO3 −
Summary
Anaerobic power and anaerobic capacity determine sport performance and the dominant metabolic pathways. Water and electrolyte disturbances seem to affect exercise efficiency and fatigue [3,4,5]. These phenomena are compounded by the growing uncompensated water loss, leading to hypohydration [6]. It is unclear how much hypohydration impairs anaerobic performance, and inconsistent results may be due to the use of different protocols to induce hypohydration and different methods of evaluating strength and power abilities. Some authors have observed significant reductions in isometric and isokinetic force after 2% hypohydration [6], while others did not register significant changes in muscular power even after a 4% hypohydration [6,7,8]
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