Magic white bottle

[gavroche]

I was watching an interview of Raymond Poulidor last night about his career and epic battle with Jacques Anquetil in the Puy De Dome in the 60's and he said something that struck me. The interviewee was asking him if he ever took drugs. He did not really answer the question but he said that his manager sometimes gave his riders a bottle with white stuff in it. That stuff reduced the pain in your legs and consequently increased your performance. One of the riders had it analysed to see what it was and believe it or not, it proved to be only bicarbonate of soda!
Surely, you can't classify that as a drug?

 

[raindog]

Surely, you can't classify that as a drug?

I don't think it was.

Gavroche, I posted a link in the CC racing section to that superb programme, but I found out later it wouldn't work outside of France - how were you able to watch it in the UK?

 

[gavroche]

I don't think it was.

Gavroche, I posted a link in the CC racing section to that superb programme, but I found out later it wouldn't work outside of France - how were you able to watch it in the UK?

On my tablet, a link called "Filmon.TV". You get TVs from all the world on it. It is free and I can get France2, France 3, France 5 and ARTE on it. Very good.

 

[simon the viking]

It might do something or possibly a placebo effect?

 

[raindog]

In the film, they said it killed the pain in the legs

 

[gavroche]

In the film, they said it killed the pain in the legs

correct

 

[screenman]

It is supposed to help clear lactic acid, some people feel it works others not so.

 

[Rob3rt]

Bi-carb of soda helps to buffer the lactic acid, however it is a fine line of taking enough to get an effect and taking too much and shitting your pants! I gather it's use is pretty common with pursuit riders.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Kaolin and Morphine ... That should do it!

 

[winjim]

Utter nonsense I'm afraid. Ingested bicarbonate is immediately neutralised by stomach acid.

HCO3- + H+ = CO2 + H2O

Your acid/base metabolism is very tightly controlled and there ain't nothing you can eat or drink to affect it.

Bicarb is very good at removing odours from manky water bottles though.

 

[Rob3rt]

I think you will find there is a body of research that disagree's!

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think you will find there is a body of research that disagree's!

But is it good research?

Mrs FF was waffling on about 'body ph' diet regimes and I found it all bollocks. I'll admit that science has moved on a bit since my Biochemistry degree but I have to say I don't find any of it very plausible. I'm open to good third party peer reviewd evidence though .....

 

[Rob3rt]

But is it good research?

Well you will have to read all of the journal papers and decide for yourself (it is not something I am interested in enough to do so myself), however, from my standpoint, any scientific research, flaws intact, is still more credible than some person on a forum simply stating "Utter nonesense".

 

[Fab Foodie]

Well you will have to read all of the journal papers and decide for yourself (it is not something I am interested in enough to do so myself), however, from my standpoint, any scientific research, flaws intact, is still more credible than some person on a forum simply stating "Utter nonesense".

I'd view both with the same level of scepticism ..... Though there are some very knowledgeable folks here.

 

[winjim]

Well you will have to read all of the journal papers and decide for yourself (it is not something I am interested in enough to do so myself), however, from my standpoint, any scientific research, flaws intact, is still more credible than some person on a forum simply stating "Utter nonesense".

My assertion that it is nonsense versus your assertion that it works...

I have backed up my assertion with a very simple chemical equation that explains what happens when you ingest bicarb.

I do generally agree with your point about "some person on a forum" though.