Sodium Phosphate

[RoadRaven]

TrekHawk!!!
You a Melissa fan?
Just noticed your sig... have you changed that recently? I don't know how I could have missed it!
She is such an awesome rocker! I wish wish wish I could go to one of her concerts, but unless she comes to NZ I guess I will have to settle for DVDs and surround sound.



Well, last day of loading today - have been taking 4grams of this stuff Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

So far no tummy probs like Squirrel and DB wondered about... except that I 'normally' go 1-2 times a day, and this week am 'going' 3-4 times a day, but its normal, just more frequent.

Still not sure if I am doing the right thing, but if this isn't right then surely having coffee or a "power drink" before a race isn't either...

I'm still interested in your opinions, even if they don't support what I have done. I was really hopoing for more feedback before this week began.

Anyway, race tomorrow, we'll see what happens.

[Artisan]

Have a great race RoadRaven!!! I'll be watching the thread to see how it went and if you feel the Sodium Phosphate helped.

[Trekhawk]

TrekHawk!!!
You a Melissa fan?
Just noticed your sig... have you changed that recently? I don't know how I could have missed it!
She is such an awesome rocker! I wish wish wish I could go to one of her concerts, but unless she comes to NZ I guess I will have to settle for DVDs and surround sound.

Yep Im a fan. I changed my sig line a few months ago. I love this song.

Good Luck for Saturday.

[alpinerabbit]

Lactic acid is NOT a fuel. it makes zero sense biochemically. I have discussed this elsewhere on this forum.

[RoadRaven]

Alpine, I didn't say lactic acid was a fuel... I said it was seen as something to be avoided, but as people have come to understand how it works and builds up, people can train to be able to perform despite its presence and within tolerance levels...

Do you have any understanding of NaPO4? I would value your opinion on this, just as I have your clear explainations of LA in other threads.


Thanks for your good wishes Artisan and Trek... 6 hours til kick-off (or should that be "wheel-turn"?)

[alpinerabbit]

Hi Raven,

you did not bue Knotted repeated the statement about Lactate. About the phosphate, well I was skeptical but I searched pubmed:

Since the 1930s, scientists have attempted to determine if increasing the body's ability to buffer metabolic acids will enhance physical performance. The buffer of major interest has been bicarbonate; to a lesser degree, citrate and phosphate salts have been investigated. In theory, the buffers facilitate performance by decreasing the accumulation of hydrogen ions that would otherwise presumably inhibit glycolysis and interfere with energy production or impair cross-bridge formation between myofilaments and thereby reduce force production. Literature findings indicate variable results, but overall it appears that bicarbonate salts taken at dosages of 0.3 g.kg-1 may improve performance during repeated sprints or at the end of a progressively more intense exercise test. Athletes are advised of potential ill effects of bicarbonate ingestion, such as gastrointestinal distress. Prior to applying the agents in a competitive setting, athletes should test the effects of buffers on performance during training sessions and consider the sport governing body's stand on buffer usage.

from Pubmed

hmm... the question is where are the "loaded" buffer salts stored. in the intestine perhaps? and if so, when is the optimal timepoint to take them?

OTOH, I wonder if this really makes a difference for the "amateurs" among us. there are so many other factors playing into your performance on day X, aren't there...

[RoadRaven]

Thanks Alpine... appreciate your reflection here

For me, as an enthusiastic amateaur am just interested to see if it makes a difference to my LT or to the preceived ease or pain I have in completing an intense race.

For others trialling this at a much higher level of racing I guess it will remain to be seen whether it can assist in precious seconds.

As you say - so many variables...
At the moment the weather is calm and mild - what if i battle a wind this afternoon?

How I perform toady will be different to how I would perform in 2 weeks time when I will have my period.

I have taken notes of food consumption for the past few days... and if I feel NaPO4 makes a difference today, I will try and replicate the same race (food, pre-race week rides, rest etc) without NaPO4 in a few weeks, and then again with another loading period.

Its about as scientific as I can get. I'll get back here this evening or tomorrow and give my opinion as a "user".

[RoadRaven]

Did it help?
I think so… this is the first TT I have completed where I was able to sit at or above my LT for almost the entire ride.

My average HR for the race was 162bpm. My last measured LT was 159bpm. I am assuming that an average of 162bpm is my new LT resulting from specific training and not as a result of taking NaPO4.

However, the fact that I consistently had my HR sitting around 168-175bpm makes me wonder if that was the Sodium Phosphate, because although my training has tried to be specific, I have never ridden that high for so long before.

No stomach upsets (apart from being “more” regular) and no other side effects to my knowledge.

I would try this again, but I did a few things wrong in my pre-race week and on the day, so I have to get those things right too (see Racing Report forum).