THE EFFECTS OF 8 WEEKS OF LOW DOSE SUPPLEMENTATION OF CREATINE AND SODIUM BICARBONATE ON EXERCISE PERFORMANCE

Short-term (3-7 days), high doses of creatine (20g/d) and/or sodium bicarbonate (0.5g/kg body weight) supplementation increase exercise performance during short term high intensity activities; however, it remains unclear whether long-term, low doses of these supplements have a positive impact on exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of long-term (8 weeks), low dose creatine supplementation on exercise performance, and whether combining creatine and sodium bicarbonate supplementation has an additive effect. Sixty-three healthy, habitually active, adults (28 M, 35 W; 22+2 years; 23+ 3 BMI) were randomly assigned by sex to one of three supplement groups: placebo (PL), creatine only (3g/day; Cr), or creatine plus sodium bicarbonate (3g creatine plus 1g sodium bicarbonate; Cr+Sb) for 8 weeks. Before and after supplementation subjects completed two exercise performance tests on separate days. Subjects completed repeated Wingate sprint tests (6 x 10 second sprints) and changes in the slope across the 6 sprints (rate of decline) was analyzed between groups. We also collected 5 km time-trial and the data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. In the repeated sprint test, peak power output slope was significantly decreased (P=0.04) in PL (-83%) and Cr+Sb (-82%) but did not change in Cr alone and was significantly better (P=0.03) than Pl and Cr+Sb. Similarly, mean power output slope significantly decreased (P0.05) in time to completion. However, Cr alone significantly improved time to completion (-3%; P=0.01). Taken together, these data suggest that long-term, low dose creatine supplementation increases exercise performance but adding sodium bicarbonate supplementation has no beneficial impact on exercise performance.