Sodium citrate, rehydration and 40-km cycling in the heat
What it found
In 20 male endurance athletes, taking sodium citrate during recovery after dehydrating exercise improved rehydration but did not change 40-km cycling time-trial time in the heat.
It was a randomised, double-blind, crossover trial in people.
What they found
Studies in people
Rehydration during recovery
Body mass and plasma volume rose more, and athletes drank and retained more water, with sodium citrate than with placebo.
Time-trial time
The 40-km time trial took about the same time with sodium citrate (68.10 min) and placebo (68.11 min).
Water intake and body mass in the trial
During the time trial, athletes drank more water and lost less body mass with sodium citrate than with placebo.
Sweat and perceived effort
Sweat loss, the drop in plasma volume, ratings of perceived exertion and time-trial time did not differ between the two trials.
Blood lactate and temperature
At the end of the time trial, blood lactate was higher and rectal temperature was lower with sodium citrate than with placebo.
Plasma volume after exercise
Compared with before the dehydrating exercise, plasma volume fell to a lower level with placebo than with sodium citrate.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, CIT enhances rehydration after exercise-induced dehydration but has no impact on subsequent 40-km cycling TT performance in a warm uncompensable environment.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that sodium citrate enhances rehydration after exercise-induced dehydration.
- They state that it "has no impact on subsequent 40-km cycling TT performance in a warm uncompensable environment".
How it was done
The authors wanted to see whether taking sodium citrate while recovering from dehydrating cycling exercise would affect rehydration and later 40-km cycling performance in a warm environment.
Twenty male nonheat-acclimated endurance athletes cycled in the heat until they lost 4% of body mass. After 16 hours of recovery with water and a set diet, they took either sodium citrate (600 mg per kg) or a placebo, then did a 40-km time trial on a cycle ergometer in the heat.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial was in 20 trained men, so the results may not apply to women, untrained people or other conditions.
- It tested one dose of sodium citrate and one type of exercise in the heat, so other doses or activities may differ.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Tartu, Estonia; Tartu University Hospital, Estonia
The paper
- Title
- Impact of sodium citrate ingestion during recovery after dehydrating exercise on rehydration and subsequent 40-km cycling time-trial performance in the heat
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Suvi S, Mooses M, Timpmann S, et al (2018). Impact of sodium citrate ingestion during recovery after dehydrating exercise on rehydration and subsequent 40-km cycling time-trial performance in the heat. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme. doi:10.1139/apnm-2017-0584PubMed 29324186DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error