SupplementationBicarbrugbyNCT07017582
The Effect of Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Rugby Players.
A study testing Soidum Bicarbonate in people with Supplementation, run by Universidad de Burgos at 1 site in Spain.
Trial summary
The objetive of the study was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves athletic performance and/or reduces fatigue in elite rugby players. The participants were 17 elite rugby players. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Supplementation
- What is being tested?
- Soidum Bicarbonate
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 17 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSpain
- Study dates
- 1 Feb 2023to 15 Feb 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Male rugby players who were competing in the First Spanish National League (Division de Honor A) voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after attending an informative session
Who cannot join
- injury or illness on test day
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Bicarbonate and Rugby
The objetive of the study was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves athletic performance and/or reduces fatigue in elite rugby players.
The participants were 17 elite rugby players. Half of the participants receive sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg body weight), the other half receive a placebo (salt). Ingestion of the supplementation/placebo occured 90 minutes before high-intensity rugby-specific training Variables analysed were measure at baseline, prior to exercise, during exercise and after exercise.
- Conditions
- Supplementation
- Being tested
- Soidum Bicarbonate, Placebo
- Keywords
- Bicarbonate, Rugby, Performance
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Soidum BicarbonateDietary supplement
Supplementation with 0.03 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate
PlaceboDietary supplement
0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Bicarbonate | Active comparator | Supplementation with 0.3 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate Receives: Dietary Supplement: Soidum Bicarbonate |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Supplementation with placebo: 0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Capillary blood lactate
Lactate concentrations were measured in a capillary blood sample obtained fromparticipants' fingertips using a portable analyzer (Lactate 2, Arkray, Kyoto, Japan)
Measured: At baseline (prior to supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Secondary outcomes (2)
Countermovement jump
For the CMJ, subjects started from an upright position withhands on waist and then executed a countermovement jump by flexing the knees to 90◦and jumping as high as possible. During the flight stage, they were instructed to keep theirknees extended to 180◦, without hyperextending the hips . Jump height was measuredon an infrared platform (Optojump, Microgate, Bolzano, Italy).
Measured: At baseline (prior to supplementation) and after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
Questionnaires consisted of nine 100-mm visual analog scales (VASs). The VASs were anchored at each end with no symptom on the left-hand side and severe symptom on the right-hand side. Participants were asked to rate the severity of their symptoms. If they were experiencing no symptoms, they circled the appropriate words, for example, no nausea. If they were experiencing some symptoms, they indicated their overall rating by placing a vertical mark on the line.
The VASs were used to measure symptoms of nausea, flatulence, stomach cramping, belching, stomachache, bowel urgency, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach bloating.
Measured: At baseline (before supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Jun 2025
- Study start1 Feb 2023
- Primary completion14 Feb 2023
- Study completion15 Feb 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for SupplementationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 17 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad de Burgos
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Universidad Isabel I
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, MARIA MARTINEZ, Universidad de Burgos
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07017582
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Bicarbonaterugby
- Other IDs
- Bicarbonaterugby
- Acronym
- Bicarbrugby
- Status last verified
- Jun 2025
- First submitted
- 23 May 2025
- Last updated
- 12 Jun 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Confidential data regarding a rugby club
Publications
Couce B, Baos S, Moreno-Villanueva A, Recarey-Rodriguez AE, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Martinez-Ferran M. Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms During a High-Intensity Training Session in Elite Rugby Players: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Sports (Basel). 2026 Mar 4;14(3):100. doi: 10.3390/sports14030100.
PubMed 41893591
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Jun 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Bicarbonate and Rugby
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07017582
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Bicarbrugby / Bicarbonaterugby
- Conditions
- Supplementation
- Keywords
- Bicarbonate, Rugby, Performance
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 17 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad de BurgosUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Universidad Isabel I
- Study start
- 1 Feb 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Feb 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Feb 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The objetive of the study was to determine whether sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves athletic performance and/or reduces fatigue in elite rugby players.
The participants were 17 elite rugby players. Half of the participants receive sodium bicarbonate (0.3 g/kg body weight), the other half receive a placebo (salt). Ingestion of the supplementation/placebo occured 90 minutes before high-intensity rugby-specific training Variables analysed were measure at baseline, prior to exercise, during exercise and after exercise.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Bicarbonate | Active comparator | Dietary Supplement: Soidum BicarbonateSupplementation with 0.3 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Dietary Supplement: PlaceboSupplementation with placebo: 0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Male rugby players who were competing in the First Spanish National League (Division de Honor A) voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after attending an informative session
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- injury or illness on test day
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Soidum BicarbonateSupplementation with 0.03 g/kg of sodium bicarbonate | Dietary supplement | Bicarbonate |
| Placebo0.03 g·kg-1 body mass sodium chloride | Dietary supplement | Placebo |
Primary outcome
Capillary blood lactate
Time frame: At baseline (prior to supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Lactate concentrations were measured in a capillary blood sample obtained fromparticipants' fingertips using a portable analyzer (Lactate 2, Arkray, Kyoto, Japan)
2 secondary outcomes
Countermovement jump
Time frame: At baseline (prior to supplementation) and after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
Time frame: At baseline (before supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Jun 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41893591Couce B, Baos S, Moreno-Villanueva A, Recarey-Rodriguez AE, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Martinez-Ferran M. Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Performance and Gastrointestinal Symptoms During a High-Intensity Training Session in Elite Rugby Players: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Sports (Basel). 2026 Mar 4;14(3):100. doi: 10.3390/sports14030100.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Confidential data regarding a rugby club
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Soidum Bicarbonate in people with Supplementation, run by Universidad de Burgos at 1 site in Spain.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Jun 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Spain. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Capillary blood lactate (time frame: At baseline (prior to supplementation), prior to exercise (immediately before beginning exercise protocol), after exercise (immediately after finishing exercise protocol).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07017582, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Jun 2025.