Drink baking soda for recovery?!?!

jarrettd
jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok...just when I thought I'd heard it all. I'm new to lifting, so I asked at my job "how long after a workout do you typically expect to have jelly-arms?". Several answers, all different (no surprise, there.) But one got my attention: "Just drink a glass of baking soda in water, like you would for heartburn. Best recovery drink, ever."

Anyone ever heard of this?

Replies

  • 12skipafew99100
    12skipafew99100 Posts: 1,669 Member
    Never heard of it, sounds gross.
    So you tried it and it workd?
  • Irene8509
    Irene8509 Posts: 381 Member
    Agree with 47by47. You can be the guinea pig and let us know if it works:bigsmile:
  • kendrafallon
    kendrafallon Posts: 1,030 Member
    Heartburn cure I'd heard of, just Google'd this:

    http://www.ehow.com/how_5616960_drink-bicarbonate-soda-health.html

    seems to back what you've heard...try it *shrug* if you've tried it for heartburn with no ill-effects then there's no harm in trying it for something else.

    Just to add, here's an article from the Times online:
    Is bicarbonate of soda a performance-enhancing drug? http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article4539000.ece
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
    That's one I've not heard before. It kind of makes sense in some ways. If the feeling in your muscles is due to a build up of lactic acid I suppose the alkalinity of the bicarbonate of soda would neutralise it, like it neutralises excess stomach acid. I'll have to remember to try that next time :-)
  • jkleman79
    jkleman79 Posts: 706 Member
    The only one I heard of from the guy I work out with that does the tough man contests. Is epson salt diluted out into some water. I dont know the exact amounts so I am not even going to try to tell you that much. Epson salt is all magnesium which is what your body needs to heal muscles. Just my tid bit.
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
    So, it's not totally out in left field, then, huh? Not sure I'm up for being a test-study, but it depends on how sore I get! Good to know he wasn't just having a little fun at my expense, though.

    Thanks for the replies!!
  • millionsofpeaches
    millionsofpeaches Posts: 372
    That sounds disgusting.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    That's one I've not heard before. It kind of makes sense in some ways. If the feeling in your muscles is due to a build up of lactic acid I suppose the alkalinity of the bicarbonate of soda would neutralise it, like it neutralises excess stomach acid. I'll have to remember to try that next time :-)

    The lactic acid actually doesn't build up and stay there...if it did, the burn would never stop and the acidity would continually denature enzymes making muscle contraction impossible (that is why lactic acid causes fatigue). Muscle soreness is due to micro-tears and osmotic pressure changes in muscle fibers, not lactic acid buildup. The baking soda has no function to my knowledge.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I think it's because of the sodium. My neighbor is an Athletic trainor and told me if you have nothing else for muscle cramps, drink Pickle juice, because of the sodium.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
    The only one I heard of from the guy I work out with that does the tough man contests. Is epson salt diluted out into some water. I dont know the exact amounts so I am not even going to try to tell you that much. Epson salt is all magnesium which is what your body needs to heal muscles. Just my tid bit.

    Epsom salt is also a laxative....so that could be a little scary :)
  • dancer4275
    dancer4275 Posts: 149
    Hmmmm. Baking soda and warm water is actually what some people drink to induce vomitting. I would know.
  • jkleman79
    jkleman79 Posts: 706 Member
    The only one I heard of from the guy I work out with that does the tough man contests. Is epson salt diluted out into some water. I dont know the exact amounts so I am not even going to try to tell you that much. Epson salt is all magnesium which is what your body needs to heal muscles. Just my tid bit.

    Epsom salt is also a laxative....so that could be a little scary :)

    It is at higher doses. This is just to get the magnesium from it. They sell magnesium water for around $30 dollars and its diluted epsom salt. So you have to look up the dilution level...i am not trying to tell anyone I know the amounts.. so you may want to look it up. This guy has a 12% body fat with an extra 100 pounds of muscle and pulls tour buses up hill.

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