Social media influencers are touting baking soda as a natural energy booster, but experts say this potentially ‘dangerous’ craze could have explosive consequences.
The homemade supplement is especially popular among athletes and bodybuilders, who claim that taking the white powder – which is used in baking or cleaning – feels “just like steroids”.
Some claim that they were able to run for hours without a break by taking a spoonful of baking soda. Others say that it allowed them to lift “drastically” heavier weights than they could before.
A TikTok influencer shows users how much to take — but experts say it’s not without risks
Another influencer urges TikTok users to take a tablespoon of baking soda
However, experts warn that this trend can cause severe diarrhea and urge people not to experiment with it.
“If people are consuming that much baking soda on a regular basis it can cause a lot of stomach upset,” says sports nutritionist Oliver Whiteman, who works at Surrey County Cricket Club.
“This can lead to nausea and diarrhea, which is definitely not something you want when you’re running or at the gym.”
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a white salt used to give baked goods a light, airy texture. It is also used as a cleaning agent because it is effective at removing stains and dirt.
Over the years, some researchers have claimed that it also has health benefits. Some studies suggest that it can help fight heartburn, soothe canker sores, and relieve itchy and sunburned skin.
However, since the 1980s there has been debate about whether it helps improve athletic performance.
In 2021, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) claimed that baking soda is an effective performance enhancer in short-term exercise, such as boxing, martial arts, cycling, rowing, and sprinting.
The group said this effect was seen when consuming 0.3 grams of baking soda per kilogram of body weight – meaning an average 80-kilogram man would need to take 24 grams. That works out to about one and a half tablespoons.
Experts claim that this effect occurs because it limits muscle fatigue.
‘When athletes exercise, they get a build-up of lactic acid – this is what causes the burning sensation when muscles are tired,’ says sports nutritionist Danny Webber, who runs a private clinic in Chester. ‘But there is some evidence that because it is so alkaline, baking soda can counteract this acid.’
However, these benefits are thought to only relieve fatigue for a short period of time, with some studies suggesting that it provides less than a ten-minute energy boost.
For this reason, experts say baking soda likely won’t have the dramatic effect that many social media influencers claim.
Some research even suggests that it may increase the risk of heart problems, such as irregular heartbeat, because too much sodium can have a damaging effect on the body.
“I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who isn’t an elite athlete,” Mr. Whiteman says. “It’s certainly risky for some people, because reactions to sodium bicarbonate can vary.”
Baking soda is being promoted on TikTok. According to some studies, it provides an energy boost in less than ten minutes
That hasn’t stopped hundreds of social media users. On the Reddit site, one man shared his daily routine, which consists of a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with sparkling water before bed, and then half a teaspoon mixed with grapefruit juice in the morning.
“This feels like steroids,” he wrote. “I did hill sprints for an hour with no rest. Literally zero muscle fatigue in the legs.”
Meanwhile, an influencer named Marek claimed on the video-sharing site TikTok that consuming a teaspoon of baking soda would “dramatically improve” a workout. The video has been viewed nearly half a million times.
Another TikToker, who goes by the name Professor Ill Will, eats spoonfuls of baking soda without water, claiming it will “take your workout to the next level.” He added, “You’ll be so pumped, you won’t know what to do.”
One expert admits they tried the technique – and quickly regretted it. ‘I took a big dose of bicarbonate of soda and went for a cycle,’ says Mr Whitehead. ‘I got home just in time before I had to run to the toilet.
‘Social media influencers recommend trendy things without knowing the risks and that is dangerous. People really need to be critical about where they get their information from.’