Cognition, Sodium Bicarbonate, Lactate, Exercise
Conditions
Keywords
Lactate, Sodium Bicarbonate, NaHCO3, Cognition, Executive Function, Acute Exercise
Brief summary
A single bout of exercise can rapidly improve cognitive functions including memory, attention, and executive functions, which help us navigate through everyday life. However, we do not fully understand the mechanism behind this process. A promising candidate mechanism is lactate, which was previously considered merely a waste product of our muscles during exercise. It is now recognized as an important molecule that is used by the brain as an energy source. Studies have shown that increases in lactate during exercise are positively related to improved cognitive function after completion of exercise. Another potential mechanism involves the increase in neurotrophins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) following exercise. The increase in lactate and BDNF during exercise may be connected to cause these cognitive improvements. However, because lactate increases with higher exercise intensities, we currently do not know how lactate specifically impacts brain health. To address this, muscle and blood lactate concentrations can be experimentally manipulated during exercise using sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation and will allow us to explore how lactate specifically affects brain function. The purpose of this project is to investigate the effect of exercise-induced lactate on BDNF and cognition following oral NaHCO3 supplementation in young adults. We hypothesize that BDNF levels will be higher, and cognition will be improved in executive function, visuospatial memory, and working memory in the NaHCO3 condition due to higher plasma lactate during exercise compared to placebo.
Interventions
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTSodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
Ingestion of gelatin capsules containing 0.4 g/kg body weight of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) followed by 90 minutes of rest. Continuous high intensity cycling to be performed following 90-minute resting measures.
Ingestion of gelatin capsules containing 0.4 g/kg body weight of sodium chloride (NaCl) followed by 90 minutes of rest. Continuous high intensity cycling to be performed following 90-minute resting measures.
Sponsors
McMaster University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design will be used to test 2 conditions. Participants will ingest gelatin capsules containing: 1) 0.4 g/kg body weight of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3); or 2) 0.4 g/kg body weight of sodium chloride (NaCl) (placebo supplement).
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Between the ages of 18-35 years old. * Perform ≥150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity per week.
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. * Presence of hypoglycaemia. * History of concussion(s) with persistent symptoms. * History of mental health conditions. * History of cardiovascular events requiring hospitalization (e.g., heart attack). * Pre-existing injuries that prevent completion of aerobic exercise. * Presence of colour-blindness.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Function (Executive Function) | 3-hour | The Stroop Task will be used to measure executive function (selective attention and inhibitory control). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Function (Visuospatial Memory) | 3-hour | The Spatial Span Test will be used to assess visuospatial memory. |
| Blood Lactate | 3-hour | Venous blood samples will be obtained via intravenous catheter. |
| Cognitive Function (Working Memory) | 3-hour | The N-Back Test will be used to assess working memory. |
| Blood pH | 3-hour | Venous blood samples will be obtained via intravenous catheter. |
| Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) | 3-hour | Serum and plasma BDNF measured in venous blood samples will be obtained via intravenous catheter. |
| Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3) | 3-hour | Venous blood samples will be obtained via intravenous catheter. |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
Primary ContactJeremy J Walsh, PhD
Outcome results
None listed