What is up with Sodium Phosphate Loading?

Does it help and if it does how?

Andrej

ricstern had a good writeup on the subject on his website, but the link doesn't seem to work anymore. Click here for the link...
Ric is a member of our forums, and can supply you with great info.

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Vo2,

Thanks for pointing out the web site problem, not sure why it isn't working, but hopefully it will be soon, now my web master knows!

There's definitely some evidence that certain types of phosphate work, in our study we found a significant effect. Hopefully, the page and details will be up soon, because i'm far too tired after training to string a decent sentence about phosphate together :-)

If it isn't, i'll try to be more coherent later :-)
Ric

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Is this just similar to Sodium Bicardonate (baking soda), basically giving you a lactic acid buffer?

No, it's completely different. Sodium Bicarbonate, helps with very lactate concentrations in very short events e.g., < few minutes, at buffering lactate. In (i think) ~50% of people who use bicarb loading (you need very high doses for it to work), there are bad gastro intestinal side effects :-(

Sodium Phosphate, is thought to work in two different ways, which as yet have yet to be fully elucidated. These include increased heart alterations, or changes to blood biochemistry. Phosphate does not lower lactate concentrations. It appears that with phosphate loading, fitness is temporarily increased with an increase in VO2 max, LT, and performance (see, Kreider et al, Stewart et al, Stern et al), however, some there are equally many studies (although these mainly used calcium phosphate) that show no effect on performance or physiological variables (e.g., Mannix et al, Kraemer et al and i think Galloway et al).

In the studies that show an ergogenic effect, the effect lasts ~10-days. Depending on the method of consumption, and with sensitive people, sodium phosphate can have some very nasty, almost instantaneous side effects :-(

Ric

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Ric,

where can you order Sodium Phosphate in the uk, and does it come under a different name like some other products.

Cheers

Yes, it's dirt cheap £12.99 for a years supply (if i've remembered correctly!) and get it direct from Science in Sport, www.scienceinsport.com -- it's not listed on the website so you'll need to email them.

Ric

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Rick would this do? I probably can't get anything else in Slovenia (we have very crapy laws) and would't like to mix them myself.

Twinlab Phos Fuel

A scientifically designed, performance enhancing supplement that can help block lactic acid build-up and delay the onset of muscular fa-tigue. Contains the major lactic acid buffers in blood and muscle such as phosphate, bicarbonate and carnosine as well as a synergistic combination of lactate and energy metabolizers.
Four hard gelatin capsules supply:

Sodium Phosphate (dibasic) 4000 mg
Potassium Bicarbonate 816 mg
L-Carnosine 50 mg
Lipoic Acid 100 mcg
Vitamin B-1 1.5 mg
Vitamin B-2 1.9 mg
Vitamin B-3 (niacinamide) 20 mg
Vitamin B-6 2 mg
Pantothenic Acid 10 mg
Biotin 300 mcg
Capsules: 180's.

tnx

Ric the page is still not available. Will it be soon?

Or could you write some more information (like dosages, how, when to take it ect.)

And could you please tell me about Phos fuel.

Shootek

The page will be available soon, my webmaster is currently away!

Phosfuel -- firstly, i'm not sure it's still available. Second, there's some evidence (but not much) to suggest that dibasic phosphate might be *ergolytic* to performance. There's a paucity of data on phosphate loading in general.

In our study, we used tribasic sodium phosphate, which gave a significant improvement using a randomised, placebo, double-blind crossover methodology.

You can get tribasic from www.scienceinsport.com -- but you'll need to email them direct (not on the web shop yet). From memory, it's dirt cheap about UK£12.99 for a years supply, plus postage.

Ric

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OK guys if you click this link you'll get a cached copy of that article:

http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache.../phosphate.htm

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Steve
CyclingForums.com

One thing Ric, you don't say how much to take in that article ?

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Steve
CyclingForums.com

Beats me why anyone would put that crap in their body. You have to wonder about anyone who would poison themselves to get marginally better performance.

In our study (and most others) we (they) use 1 gram four times a day for four days (other studies have loaded for five days), taken after food, and with the phosphate dissolved in a cold drink (e.g., cordial/squash).

Ric

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leaving aside any discussion on moral/ethical grounds, it's hardly a "marginally better performance". We found an increase of ~ 8%, which represents a highly significant increase, and by way of a comparison (not a suggestion!) is only slightly below the increase from Epo supplementation (~ 10%).

Ric

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