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Supplements for athletic performance promise greater endurance, increased strength, improved circulation and faster recovery. But do their short-term benefits justify their potential risks?
In this article, we compare baking soda, beta-alanine, L-arginine, beet powder, cordyceps and creatine — including what research reveals about their effects on muscles, digestion, liver health and long-term wellness.
Some of these supplements help muscles manage acidity or produce energy, while others increase nitric oxide and blood flow. These differences matter when considering both athletic performance and long-term health.
1. Baking Soda for Athletic Performance: Effective, but Hard on Digestion
Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, has been studied for athletic performance since the 1930s.
During intense exercise, muscles produce hydrogen ions that contribute to increasing acidity and fatigue. Baking soda raises bicarbonate levels in the blood, helping muscles manage acidity and continue working at high intensity.
Benefits of baking soda
Research shows that baking soda can improve performance during intense activities such as sprinting, swimming, cycling, rowing and wrestling.
A comprehensive 2021 scientific position paper on sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance found benefits for high-intensity activities, particularly those lasting 30 seconds to 12 minutes.
Most studies use approximately 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight, taken 60–180 minutes before exercise.
Drawbacks of baking soda
The biggest concerns are digestion, the body’s acid-base balance and sodium intake.
Baking soda neutralizes stomach acid, which plays an important role in digesting protein, activating digestive enzymes and maintaining normal stomach function.
Potential side effects include:
- Bloating, gas, nausea and diarrhea
- Interference with normal stomach acidity
- Excessive sodium intake
- Electrolyte disturbances and metabolic alkalosis with excessive use
The performance doses used in research are substantial. For a 175-pound athlete, 0.3 g/kg equals approximately 24 grams of baking soda — a large amount to consume at once.
Dr. Garrett Smith also raises concerns about using large doses regularly. He questions whether repeatedly altering the body’s acid-base balance could interfere with its normal regulation of acidity. He emphasizes that temporarily improving symptoms doesn’t necessarily address the underlying problem.
Smith distinguishes occasional small amounts from repeated high doses, which deliver substantial sodium and carry greater risks.
Taking baking soda away from protein-rich meals may reduce interference with stomach acidity during digestion, although spacing doses doesn’t eliminate the systemic risks of high sodium intake.
Takeaway: Protect digestion — and electrolyte balance — rather than routinely neutralizing stomach acid for a temporary performance advantage.
2. Beta-Alanine: Muscle Endurance Benefits, but What About the Tingling?
Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring, nonessential amino acid. Its primary athletic benefit comes from helping the body produce carnosine.
Beta-alanine combines with histidine to form carnosine, which accumulates in muscles and helps buffer acidity during intense exercise.
Benefits of beta-alanine
Research shows that beta-alanine can:
- Increase muscle carnosine concentrations
- Delay certain aspects of muscular fatigue
- Improve performance during repeated, high-intensity exercise, particularly efforts lasting approximately 1–4 minutes
A scientific paper on beta-alanine found that daily supplementation with 4–6 grams for at least 2–4 weeks increased muscle carnosine and improved some measures of athletic performance.
Unlike baking soda, beta-alanine doesn’t work immediately. Its effects develop as carnosine accumulates in muscles.
Drawbacks of beta-alanine
Beta-alanine commonly causes tingling, itching or prickling of the skin, called paresthesia.
The sensation resembles the flush caused by nicotinic acid (flush niacin), but the mechanisms differ.
Niacin stimulates prostaglandin production and blood vessel dilation, causing flushing and redness. Beta-alanine activates sensory nerve receptors called MRGPRD, producing tingling through a neurological pathway rather than a typical histamine reaction.
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that beta-alanine produces itching through a histamine-independent sensory nerve pathway.
Although researchers generally consider the tingling harmless, it can be uncomfortable. Smaller divided doses or sustained-release formulations can reduce it. (But sustained release supplements have their own drawbacks, and are probably not ideal long term.)
Another consideration is the limited research on years of regular supplementation. Short-term studies generally report good tolerability, but long-term safety remains less certain.
Beta-alanine also uses histidine to form carnosine. Histidine has other important roles in the body, including immune function and tissue repair. However, research hasn’t established that normal beta-alanine supplementation causes histidine deficiency.
Takeaway: Beta-alanine has legitimate performance benefits, but I would want more long-term research before recommending indefinite use. Tingling doesn’t indicate that it’s working better.
3. L-Arginine: Why Increasing Nitric Oxide May Have a Downside
L-arginine is an amino acid commonly included in pre-workout supplements because it helps the body produce nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels, increases circulation and can improve blood delivery to working muscles.
Potential benefits of L-arginine
L-arginine supports normal nitric oxide production, which is important for healthy circulation. Some research suggests benefits for blood vessel function, although studies on actual athletic performance have produced inconsistent results.
Concerns about L-arginine and liver health
Dr. Garrett Smith raises concerns about stimulating nitric oxide, particularly its potential effects on the liver and bile ducts.
He highlights a 1999 study published in Clinical Science involving rats with surgically obstructed bile ducts.
Researchers found that L-arginine nearly tripled liver fibrosis in rats with experimentally induced liver injury.
The researchers concluded that nitric oxide production may contribute to fibrosis in rats with bile duct obstruction.
Smith also describes experiencing severe constipation and feeling unwell after taking arginine and citrulline supplements. He believes these symptoms reflected impaired bile flow.
He connects these observations to what he calls the duration paradox: A substance may produce short-term benefits while potentially contributing to longer-term problems.
Takeaway: Avoid high-dose L-arginine to increase nitric oxide for workouts. Its athletic benefits are inconsistent, and the liver research warrants further investigation.
4. Beet Powder: Better Blood Flow, but Oxalate Concerns
Beetroot powder has become popular among endurance athletes because beets contain concentrated dietary nitrates.
The body converts these nitrates into nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and can improve exercise efficiency.
Benefits of beet powder
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis involving 123 studies found that dietary nitrates produced small improvements in exercise performance, particularly for activities lasting 2–10 minutes.
Another meta-analysis of resistance exercise studies found modest improvements in some measures of muscular endurance and power.
However, benefits vary by activity. A 2021 meta-analysis found no significant improvement in peak or mean power output during high-intensity interval or sprint interval training.
Drawbacks of beet powder
Beets contain substantial oxalates, which can be problematic for people susceptible to calcium oxalate kidney stones or following a low-oxalate diet.
Concentrated beet powder can increase oxalate exposure, depending on the product and serving size.
Beetroot also stimulates nitric oxide production, raising some of the same questions discussed with L-arginine, although their metabolic pathways differ.
Additionally, beetroot supplements can lower blood pressure, potentially contributing to dizziness in susceptible individuals.
Takeaway: Use with caution, but not long term; for those limiting oxalates, avoid.
5. Cordyceps: A Different Approach to Energy and Endurance
Cordyceps is a medicinal fungus traditionally used to support energy and stamina.
Certain preparations contain compounds, including cordycepin, that researchers are investigating for their effects on cellular energy metabolism.
Potential benefits
A 2010 double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated a cordyceps preparation in healthy adults ages 50–75 and reported improvements in certain measures of exercise performance.
However, studies remain relatively small, and results vary by preparation and participant characteristics.
Researchers have also investigated cordyceps for its antioxidant activity and potential cardiovascular effects.
Our family has used cordyceps in the past. My husband appreciated its steady energy benefits (in place of coffee), and I used it for several years to support my own energy.
Drawbacks
Cordyceps may affect blood pressure and circulation, and some people experience digestive discomfort.
Supplement quality varies considerably, making sourcing and testing important.
Although cordyceps is often promoted as a natural performance enhancer, its long-term safety and effectiveness need more research.
Takeaway: Cordyceps is an interesting option, and our family has had positive experiences with it. However, I would still be cautious about regularly consuming concentrated medicinal fungi without stronger evidence of long-term safety.
6. Creatine: A Gentler, Low-Dose Approach to Athletic Performance
Creatine works differently from baking soda, beta-alanine and nitric oxide boosters.
Rather than primarily affecting acidity or circulation, creatine helps muscles regenerate ATP, the energy molecule needed for muscular contractions.
Benefits of creatine
Creatine is one of the most extensively researched athletic supplements. Studies show that it can improve:
- Strength and power output
- Repeated sprint performance
- High-intensity training capacity
- Muscle gains when combined with resistance training
Unlike L-arginine or beet powder, creatine doesn’t depend on increasing nitric oxide for its primary benefits.
Drawbacks of creatine: Why I prefer lower doses
The traditional creatine protocol begins with approximately 20 grams daily for 5–7 days, followed by 3–5 grams daily.
However, loading isn’t necessary. Its main purpose is to saturate muscles more quickly, not produce better long-term results.
A 1996 study on muscle creatine loading found that taking 3 grams daily for approximately 28 days increased muscle creatine stores similarly to a much faster loading protocol.
Research therefore supports taking creatine consistently without loading.
My preferred approach is 2–2.5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily, without loading.
While 3–5 grams has stronger research support, I favor a smaller amount because of my concerns about unnecessary kidney workload and excessive supplementation. This is a conservative preference, not a proven method of protecting the kidneys.
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of creatine and kidney function found that creatine supplementation could modestly increase serum creatinine without significantly changing kidney filtration function.
Other considerations include water-weight gain and occasional digestive discomfort. People with existing kidney disease require individualized guidance.
How to support creatine uptake naturally
Creatine enters muscle cells through the sodium- and chloride-dependent SLC6A8 transporter.
I prefer taking creatine with a meal containing protein and carbohydrates, which can support creatine retention through insulin-related mechanisms.
I also consider three nutrients:
- Magnesium: Supports normal muscle function. Dr. Garrett Smith recommends paying attention to magnesium intake when using creatine, particularly if muscle cramps develop.
- Potassium: Helps maintain sodium balance, hydration and overall electrolyte balance involved in creatine transport.
- MSG: Supplies sodium and glutamate. We use pure MSG alongside protein-rich meals as part of our family’s low-dose creatine approach, although direct studies confirming that added MSG improves creatine uptake are still needed.
Hydration matters, but there is no scientifically established requirement to drink excessive amounts of additional water simply because someone takes creatine.
Creatine quality matters
Creatine monohydrate is manufactured, and purity varies with production standards.
I prefer Creapure® creatine monohydrate, manufactured in Germany and tested for purity and unwanted manufacturing by-products.
Choosing a single-ingredient product is also important. Some creatine blends contain additional vitamins, stimulants or other ingredients that athletes may not want.
Creatine is more stable as a dry powder than when dissolved in liquid. Mixing it shortly before drinking minimizes its gradual conversion into creatinine.
There is also no established need to cycle creatine. However, I consider periodic breaks a reasonable personal preference for someone who wants to minimize ongoing supplementation.
My preference: I don’t recommend that everyone take creatine. But for athletes who choose to use it, I favor a clean, well-tested product, a modest 2–2.5 gram daily dose without loading, adequate (not extra) hydration and attention to mineral balance.
For a more detailed explanation, read Creatine Without Loading: A Gentler, Low-Dose Approach.
Athletic Performance Supplements: Quick Comparison
Here’s a summary of each supplement’s main benefit and concern:
- Baking soda: Buffers exercise-related acidity, but large doses can disrupt digestion and sodium balance.
- Beta-alanine: Increases muscle carnosine and supports endurance, but causes tingling and lacks extensive long-term safety research.
- L-arginine: Supports nitric oxide and circulation, but performance results are inconsistent, and animal research raises questions about liver fibrosis under certain conditions.
- Beet powder: May improve endurance through dietary nitrates, but concentrated products can increase oxalate exposure and lower blood pressure.
- Cordyceps: May support exercise tolerance and energy, but evidence remains limited and supplement quality varies.
- Creatine: Improves rapid energy production, strength and repeated high-intensity performance. I prefer a gentle 2–2.5 gram daily dose without loading, with attention to kidney health, hydration, mineral balance and supplement purity.
Final Thoughts: Athletic Performance Shouldn’t Come at the Expense of Health
Athletes understandably want to improve endurance, strength and recovery. But a supplement’s ability to temporarily improve performance doesn’t automatically mean it supports long-term health.
A healthy athletic foundation still begins with sufficient food, adequate protein and carbohydrates, hydration, mineral balance, sleep and intelligent training.
Sources
If you do want to try the safer of these options, here are clean sources:
- Clean Beta-Alanine here.
- The Cordyceps powder we’ve used. (Use code BEAUTIFUL10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase.)
- The Creatine we buy for our son.
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Kathy Baker says
Will drinking kombucha offset the neutrality of the baking soda?
Megan says
Hi Kathy, great question! Although kombucha is an acidic medium, it’s alkaline forming in the body.