"Like many supplements that don’t work, they tend to resurface 20-30 years later" - Tadej Pogacar's coach doesn't believe the hype around bicarb benefits

Much has been made in recent weeks and months about the supposed benefits of bicarbonate of soda in the performance of riders. Physiologist Iñigo San Millán, head of performance at UAE Team Emirates however doesn't believe the hype.

"First of all, bicarbonate is one of the oldest supplements out there. It has been used for decades for this purpose. Like many supplements that don’t work, they tend to resurface 20-30 years later," said Millan on his official Twitter account. "Blood pH is 7.35-7.45 and one of the most sacred homeostatic states for the human body. 3 main elements 'threaten' blood pH: CO2, electrolyte concentrations and weak acid concentrations. During high-intensity exercise and pathological stress, these elements are threats to blood pH," he explains.

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"Our body possesses a large pool of bicarb to constantly defend the physiological & sacred pH of 7.35-7.45. This is key as if your blood pH rises or falls over those ranges you could simply die," the coach of the all-conquering Tadej Pogacar continues. "Hence, exogenous bicarb will normally be neutralized as blood pH cannot go below homeostatic levels."

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The lack of bicarb has seemingly done little to slow down the Slovenian leader of UAE Team Emirates as he looks to complete a historic Ardennes classics trifecta at Liege-Bastogne-Liege on this weekend. "If bicarb could get that easily to muscles, it would also get to cancer cells to neutralize the acidosis of the tumor microenvironment & probably be the most effective treatment for cancer ever. Obviously, bicarb supplementation doesn’t get to cancer cells and doesn’t cure cancer," Millan concludes.

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