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The physiological stress response to high-intensity sprint exercise following the ingestion of sodium bicarbonate

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pre-exercise alkalosis on the physiological stress response to high-intensity exercise. Seven physically active males (age 22 ± 3 years, height 1.82 ± 0.06 m, mass 81.3 ± 8.4 kg and peak power output 300 ± 22 W) performed a repeated sprint cycle exercise following a dose of 0.3 g kg−1 body mass of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) (BICARB), or a placebo of 0.045 g kg−1 body mass of sodium chloride (PLAC). Monocyte-expressed heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were significantly attenuated in BICARB compared to PLAC (p = 0.04 and p = 0.039, respectively), however total anti-oxidant capacity, the ratio of oxidised to total glutathione, cortisol, interleukin 6 and interleukin 8 were not significantly induced by the exercise. In conclusion, monocyte-expressed HSP72 is significantly increased following high-intensity anaerobic exercise, and its attenuation following such exercise with the ingestion of NaHCO3 is unlikely to be due to a decreased oxidative stress.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank those who volunteered for the study, and declare there was no financial support for this research project. Additionally, we would like to thank Miss Bryna Chrismas for her assistance with pilot work and advice on statistical analysis. All subjects provided written informed consent in accordance with the departmental and university ethical procedures and following the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Science, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK

    Daniel J. Peart, Richard J. Kirk, Angela R. Hillman & Rebecca V. Vince

  2. Postgraduate Medical Institute, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Leigh A. Madden

  3. School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, Australia

    Jason C. Siegler

Authors
  1. Daniel J. Peart
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  2. Richard J. Kirk
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  3. Angela R. Hillman
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  4. Leigh A. Madden
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  5. Jason C. Siegler
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  6. Rebecca V. Vince
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Correspondence to Rebecca V. Vince.

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Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

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Peart, D.J., Kirk, R.J., Hillman, A.R. et al. The physiological stress response to high-intensity sprint exercise following the ingestion of sodium bicarbonate. Eur J Appl Physiol 113, 127–134 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2419-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2419-4

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