Help needed with MSc dissertation

[rob99985]

Hi,

I'm hoping some of you chemists can help me.

What i'm after is do you know of any inactive substances in humans that i can use as a placebo alongside NaHCO3 (Sodium bicarbonate)?

I'm investigating serial NaHCO3 supplementation on sporting performance and am asking my subjects to consume fairly large amounts of NaHCO3 (eg for 80kg male largest dose will be 48g, spread over 4 smaller 12g doses over the day). Originally i was going to use CaCO3, but subjects won't be able to consume anywhere near enough of this to be a credible placebo, therefore i need another compound.

I spoke to a chemist at boots and he recommended using lactose, but isn't that a sugar and so the extra carbohydrate may affect performance?
Or cellulose, or something like "crystallised cellulose", but there seems to be many different types (eg methyl, ethyl....), and saw that some turn water into a gel and so again that type won't work. Is there a form of cellulose i can use that looks like a white powder and acts similar to NaHCO3 in water?? I'm going to mask the taste's with a flavoured powder.

Which would you use?

Hopefully somebody can help.

[Reader]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

I can't help with your mystery compound, but have you got health and safety clearance for your sodium bicarbonate dose?

The values you quote seem pretty huge to me.In the days when we used sodium bicarbonate as an antacid then even 5g a day was considered excessive.

[rob99985]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

Yes, got all the ethical approval sorted. It's been researched quite a bit.

The believed optimal amount for an acute dosage is around 0.3g per kg body mass without gi distress in previous studies. In mine they'll be taking more (eg 0.5g/kg/bm) but in 4 smaller doses (so 0.125g/kg/bm) spread over the day so shouldn't have the same effect on gi.

Thanks for replying anyway.

[lamzee]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

It's not the gi bit I would be concerned about--it's sodium overload. Blood pressure, kidneys etc. also systemic alkylosis.

[rob99985]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

There is the worry of the sodium overload but supplementation is only for a few days. As for the induced alkalosis, that is what we are after with the alkalosis delaying the onset of fatigue by buffering the H+ to a greater extent than normal.

[Raju]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

How about Sorbitol?

[rob99985]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

Won't that cause diarrhoea in the amounts that i want?

[mysteryman]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

You could use microcrystalline cellulose which is whats used for most capsule formulations? That might work.

[rob99985]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

That's what the guy said but I couldn't remember! cheers

[Pharmanaut]

Re: Help needed with MSc dissertation

Wonderful,
Could you help me with mine?

"Exploration of companies that put thinly disguised advertisements on pharmacy newsgroups, for dissertations; and if all the work is done for you, is the degree really yours?"