Compare running supplements
We report what runners are using and what the research says. We don't recommend taking any supplement. Talk to your GP or a registered sports dietitian before trying one.
Pick two supplements to see the research side by side. Everything here comes from the full pages, where every claim links to its reference.
| Compare | Sodium bicarbonate | Beta-alanine |
|---|---|---|
| Research | Emerging (proposed). Clear in short, hard efforts across sports. In running-only trials, mostly under 5 minutes, the adjusted benefit was negligible. | Emerging (proposed). Some benefit in hard efforts of about 1 to 4 minutes. Little evidence for longer running. |
| WADA status | Permitted | Permitted |
| 800 m–5K | Studied | Studied |
| 10K–half | Limited research | Limited research |
| Marathon | Not studied | Not studied |
| Ultra | Not studied | Not studied |
| In short | A small benefit in short, hard efforts across sports; running-only trials are less clear. Stomach upset is common. | A small benefit in hard efforts of about 1 to 4 minutes after weeks of daily use; little evidence for longer races. |
| What studies used | 0.3 g per kg of body mass in most running trials (range 0.2 to 0.4), 60 to 146 minutes before the test | 4 to 6 g a day, in servings of 2 g or less (often about 1.6 g), every day for at least 2 to 4 weeks |
| Side effects | Bloating, Belching, Nausea, Vomiting, Stomach pain, Diarrhoea | Tingling (paraesthesia), Small rise in liver enzyme ALT, within normal range, Lower plasma histidine at 12 g a day |
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