ND,
Actually potassium citrate has been shown to produce a mild transient metabolic alkalosis(4). I do not know the exact mechanisms of actions as chemistry is not my field but I can tell you that it’s possible to alkalize your urine PH trough the ingestion of citrate forms of the aforementioned minerals. If it actually has some benefit is where the debate is…
But anyway, this is not related tyo the original topic but mild metabolic acidosis should actually be of some concern to all bodybuiders since high protein, high grain, low vegetable and fruit diets, coupled with lactic acid production resulting from training and in some cases high intakes of diet sodas rich in phosphorous lead easily to a elevated PH in tissues, not in the blood where it is very efficiently controled.
This usually mild metabolic acidosis will lead to increased cortisol levels (1), decreased protein synthesis (2) and decreased serum IGF-1 (3).
There has been some research showing inproved performance resultant from ingestion of bicarbonate (5,6,7).
What led me to start controling urine’s PH was the increased cortisol and descreasesd protein synthesis bits,in all honesty with all the changes in diet, supplementation and exercise protocol latelly I can’t reallly tell if it actually did anything other than turning that fish tank PHtest solution blue when I piss on it. Still, minerals are cheap and I figured why not trying it?
1-Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2003 Jan;284(1):F32-F40
Neutralization of Western diet inhibits bone resorption independently of K intake and reduces cortisol secretion in humans.
Maurer M, Riesen W, Muser J, Hulter HN, Krapf R.
Medizinische Universitatsklinik und Zentrallabor, Kantonsspital Bruderholz, CH-4101 Bruderholz/Basel; Institut fur klinische Chemie und Hamatologie, Kantonsspital, CH-9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland; and Genentech, Incorporated, South San Francisco, California 94080-4990.
A Western-type diet is associated with osteoporosis and calcium nephrolithiasis. On the basis of observations that calcium retention and inhibition of bone resorption result from alkali administration, it is assumed that the acid load inherent in this diet is responsible for increased bone resorption and calcium loss from bone. However, it is not known whether the dietary acid load acts directly or indirectly (i.e., via endocrine changes) on bone metabolism. It is also unclear whether alkali administration affects bone resorption/calcium balance directly or whether alkali-induced calcium retention is dependent on the cation (i.e., potassium) supplied with administered base. The effects of neutralization of dietary acid load (equimolar amounts of NaHCO(3) and KHCO(3) substituted for NaCl and KCl) in nine healthy subjects (6 men, 3 women) under metabolic balance conditions on calcium balance, bone markers, and endocrine systems relevant to bone [glucocorticoid secretion, IGF-1, parathyroid hormone (PTH)/1,25(OH)(2) vitamin D and thyroid hormones] were studied. Neutralization for 7 days induced a significant cumulative calcium retention (10.7 +/- 0.4 mmol) and significantly reduced the urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline, pyridinoline, and n-telopeptide. Mean daily plasma cortisol decreased from 264 +/- 45 to 232 +/- 43 nmol/l (P = 0.032), and urinary excretion of tetrahydrocortisol (THF) decreased from 2,410 +/- 210 to 2,098 +/- 190 &mgr;g/24 h (P = 0.027). No significant effect was found on free IGF-1, PTH/1,25(OH)(2) vitamin D, or thyroid hormones. An acidogenic Western diet results in mild metabolic acidosis in association with a state of cortisol excess, altered divalent ion metabolism, and increased bone resorptive indices. Acidosis-induced increases in cortisol secretion and plasma concentration may play a role in mild acidosis-induced alterations in bone metabolism and possibly in osteoporosis
2-Swiss Med Wkly 2001 Mar 10;131(9-10):127-32
Metabolic and endocrine effects of metabolic acidosis in humans.
Wiederkehr M, Krapf R.
Medizinische Universitatsklinik Bruderholz, Bruderholz/Basel, Switzerland.
Metabolic acidosis is an important acid-base disturbance in humans. It is characterised by a primary decrease in body bicarbonate stores and is known to induce multiple endocrine and metabolic alterations. Metabolic acidosis induces nitrogen wasting and, in humans, depresses protein metabolism. The acidosis-induced alterations in various endocrine systems include decreases in IGF-1 levels due to peripheral growth hormone insensitivity, a mild form of primary hypothyroidism and hyperglucocorticoidism. Metabolic acidosis induces a negative calcium balance (resorption from bone) with hypercalciuria and a propensity to develop kidney stones. Metabolic acidosis also results in hypophosphataemia due to renal phosphate wasting. Negative calcium balance and phosphate depletion combine to induce a metabolic bone disease that exhibits features of both osteoporosis and osteomalacia. In humans at least, 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D levels increase, probably through phosphate depletion-induced stimulation of 1-alpha hydroxylase. The production rate of 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D is thus stimulated, and parathyroid hormone decreases secondarily. There is experimental evidence to support the notion that even mild degrees of acidosis, such as that occurring by ingestion of a high animal protein diet, induces some of these metabolic and endocrine effects. The possible role of diet-induced acid loads in nephrolithiasis, age-related loss of lean body mass and osteoporosis is discussed.
3-Kidney Int 1997 Jan;51(1):216-21
Effect of chronic metabolic acidosis on the growth hormone/IGF-1 endocrine axis: new cause of growth hormone insensitivity in humans.
Brungger M, Hulter HN, Krapf R.
Klinik B fur Innere Medizin, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
The effects of metabolic acidosis on growth hormone and IGF-1 are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of chronic metabolic acidosis (induced by administration on NH4Cl, 4.2 mmol/kg body wt/day) on the growth hormone/IGF-1 endocrine axis in 6 normal male volunteers during metabolic balance conditions. NH4Cl administration resulted in hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis with plasma bicarbonate decreasing from 25 +/- 0.4 to 15.5 +/- 0.9 mmol/liter (P < 0.001). Metabolic acidosis significantly decreased serum IGF-1 concentration from 45 +/- 6 to 33 +/- 6 nmol/liter (P = 0.002), while serum IGF binding protein 3 concentration was not affected significantly. The growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing factor administration (1 microgram per kg body wt, intravenous bolus) was enhanced significantly during acidosis. The IGF-1 response to growth hormone administration (0.1 U kg body wt subcutaneously, every 12 hr for 48 hr) was blunted significantly during acidosis. Apparent endogenous serum half-life and metabolic clearance rates of growth hormone were not altered significantly by acidosis. Metabolic acidosis in humans results in a significant decrease in serum IGF-1 concentration without a demonstrable effect on IGF binding protein 3, and is related to a resistance to the hepatocellular action of growth hormone. The primary defect in the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis occurs via an impaired IGF-1 response to circulating growth hormone with consequent diminution of normal negative feedback inhibition of IGF-1 on growth hormone, as evidenced by the exaggerated growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing factor administration.
4-[Therapeutic use of potassium citrate]
[Article in Polish]
Zmonarski SC, Klinger M, Puziewicz-Zmonarska A, Krajewska M, Mazanowska O, Dembinska E.
Klinika Nefrologii Akademii Medycznej we Wroclawiu Kierownik Kliniki. klinef@priv2.onet.pl
Therapeutic indications of potassium citrate include: 1. Oxaluric renal stone disease and some cases of uric acid stone disease. Prevention of stone formation in patients with renal polycystic disease. Prevention of stone relapse after ESWL or lithotomy; 2. Distal renal tubular acidosis complicated by hypercalciuria, mainly in children. 3. Renal hypercalciuria and hyperoxaluria. 4. Prevention of renal complications at the time of glaucoma treatment with acetazolamide. 5. Potassium supplementation during treatment of hypertension. Potassium citrate is usually contraindicated in the case of: 1. Urinary tract infection. 2. Struvite renal stone disease. 3. Hyperpotassemia and advanced chronic renal failure. 4. Peptic ulcer or gastritis. 5. Gastrointestinal bleeding. 6. Disorders of coagulation, crural varices. 7. Metabolic alkalosis. Potassium citrate, when used at therapeutic doses, is to be considered as quite safe. The average daily dose even if admitted as a single dose day engages 60-75% of free renal capacity for potassium excretion. Physiologic and therapeutic citrate concentration in urine exceeds much those available for other inhibitors. The therapeutic dose does not induce any significant changes in any biochemical or endocrine parameter of blood except mild transient metabolic alkalosis. The decrease of urine calcium and increase in oxalate calcium phosphate excretion is observed. In hypo-cytriaturic patients the response to therapeutic dose of citrate is smaller. One-year remission of stone disease is observed in 70-75% cases.
5-Effects of Bicarbonate Ingestion on Leg Strength and Power During Isokinetic Knee Flexion and Extension
Jeff Coombes and Lars R. McNaughton
Human Performance Laboratory, Centre for Physical Education, University of Tasmania at Launceston, Newnham, Tasmania, Australia 7250.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this experiment was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate ingestion of a 300 mg ? kg1 body mass dose improved either total work or peak torque values during isokinetic leg ext/flex exercise in 9 healthy male subjects using a Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer under control, alkalotic, and placebo conditions. Basal and pre- and postexercise arterialized venous blood samples were collected and analyzed for lactate, pH, partial pressure of O2 and CO2, base excess, and blood bicarbonate. Preexercise, the bicarbonate increased the blood pH levels, indicating a state of induced metabolic alkalosis. Postexercise in all conditions, blood pH was significantly lower than preexercise values, indicating that metabolic acidosis had occurred. The amount of work and peak torque completed in the control and placebo trials was not significantly different. During the experimental trial, however, more work was completed than in either the control or placebo conditions, and peak torque also increased. This suggests that bicarbonate could be used as an ergogenic aid during isokinetic work and enables the athlete to become more powerful.
6-Exercise Physiology Laboratory, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292
ROBERT J. ROBERTSON
Center for Exercise and Health-Fitness Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261
ABSTRACT
In this investigation we studied the effect of manipulating the acid-base balance through sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion on ratings of perceived exertion for the overall body (RPE-O) and on differentiated ratings for the leg and chest (RPE-L, RPE-C) during exercise recovery. Six women of college age underwent 3 experimental conditions in which NaHCO3 was ingested in either a single (bolus) or periodic (distributed throughout the exercise) dosage, with calcium carbonate serving as a placebo control. Each subject pedaled a cycle ergometer at 90% O2peak for three 5-minute exercise sessions, each separated by 10 minutes of recovery. Repeated-measures analysis of variance with Tukey post hoc analysis was performed for acid-base and perceptual variables. Results indicate that a gradient of acid-base balance was established such that pH and bicarbonate concentration were significantly greater (p < 0.05) for the single condition in comparison with periodic and placebo conditions, and the periodic condition was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than placebo. The average percentage of recovery for RPE-L and RPE-C was 8% greater (p < 0.05) for the single condition than for the periodic and placebo conditions, at the first and second minutes of recovery. During the first minute of recovery, the average percentage of recovery for RPE-O was 10% greater (p < 0.05) for the single condition than for the placebo condition. During the second minute of recovery, the percentage of recovery for RPE-O for the single condition was significantly greater than those for both the periodic and placebo conditions by an average of 9%. These results strengthen the relationship between the acid-base balance and the subjective perception of exertion. In addition, this study provides preliminary data in support of RPE as an adjunct measure to quantify the extent of recovery from exercise.
7-Sodium bicarbonate can be used as an ergogenic aid in high-intensity, competitive cycle ergometry of 1 h duration.
McNaughton L, Dalton B, Palmer G.
Sports Science, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, UK.
The aim of this study was to determine whether a dose of 300-mg x kg(-1) body mass of sodium bicarbonate would effect a high-intensity, 1-h maximal cycle ergometer effort. Ten male, well-trained [maximum oxygen consumption 67.3 (3.3) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), mean (SD)] volunteer cyclists acted as subjects. Each undertook either a control (C), placebo (P), or experimental (E) ride in a random, double-blind fashion on a modified, air-braked cycle ergometer, attached to a personal computer to which the work and power data was downloaded at 10 Hz. Fingertip blood was sampled at 10-min intervals throughout the exercise. Blood was also sampled at 1, 3, 5, and 10 min post-exercise. Blood was analysed for lactate, partial pressure of Carbon dioxide and oxygen, pH and plasma bicarbonate (HCO-) concentration. Randomly chosen pairs of subjects were asked to complete as much work as possible during the 60-min exercise periods in an openly competitive situation. The sodium bicarbonate had the desired effect of increasing blood HCO3- prior to the start of the test. The subjects in E completed 950.9 (81.1) kJ of work, which was significantly more (F(2,27) = 5.28, P < 0.01) than during either the C [835.5 (100.2) kJ] or P [839.0 (88.6) kJ] trials. No differences were seen in peak power or in the power:mass ratio between these three groups. The results of this study suggest that sodium bicarbonate may be used to offset the fatigue process during high-intensity, aerobic cycling lasting 60 min.