Bicarbonate of soda made headlines this spring when it was claimed that the routinely used baking powder would have a significant effect on performance, but the hype has been debunked by the coach of this season's outstanding rider, Tadei Pogachar.

Physiologist Inigo San Milan, head of performance at UAE Team Emirates, explained this week why he thinks bicarb "doesn't work," arguing that if it can remove lactic acid from muscles, it should theoretically also treat cancer.

Bicarbonate of soda recently made headlines when it was associated with Jumbo Visma's stunning comeback. The team's nutritional partner, Maarten, recently unveiled a new "bicarbonate system" that supposedly allows the body to absorb bicarbonate soda without stomach-related side effects.

However, many athletes and coaches downplayed the hype, with one telling Cycling News that it was "pure marketing," while others pointed out that Bicarb has been used as a supplement for decades, with the perceived benefit of flushing lactic acid during intense efforts He noted. [However, St. Millan goes a step further and questions not simply the new "bicarb system," but the bicarb itself.

"First of all, bicarbonate is one of the oldest supplements. They have been used for decades for this purpose. Like many supplements that are ineffective, they tend to resurface after 20-30 years," he wrote in a Twitter thread (opens in new tab).

"Blood pH is 7.35-7.45, one of the most sacred homeostatic states for the human body. Three main factors "threaten" blood pH: CO2, electrolyte concentration, and weak acidity concentration. During high-intensity exercise and pathological stress, these elements are threats to blood pH.

"Our bodies have a large pool of bicarbonate to protect the physiological and sacred pH of 7.35-7.45 at all times. This is important because if the blood pH rises or falls above these ranges, you could simply die. Therefore, exogenous bicarbonate is usually neutralized because the blood pH cannot fall below the homeostatic level.

Saint-Milan further explained that the pH of skeletal muscle during high-intensity exercise may be reduced by lactate, but the possibility of bicarbonate reaching the muscle to neutralize it is "very small."

"For example, cancer cells can have a pH ~6-7 (similar to exercising muscle)," he said, drawing on his significant research experience in the cancer field. [The more aggressive the cancer, the lower the pH. This is mainly due to lactic acid, which is the key to the 'tumor microenvironment,' which is very famous these days, and is key to carcinogenesis and metastasis."

"If bicarbonate can reach muscle easily, it can also reach cancer cells and neutralize acidosis in the tumor microenvironment, making it perhaps the most effective cancer treatment to date. Obviously, bicarbonate supplementation cannot reach cancer cells or cure cancer.