Buffer
Less fatigue. More in the tank. Buffer is sodium bicarbonate in a measured, enteric-coated capsule, built to get past your stomach and open in the small intestine. It helps push back the burn and hold your output longer in hard efforts from 30 seconds to 12 minutes, like MMA rounds, HYROX stations, WODs, sprinting, rowing, spin intervals and boxing.
- 60 enteric-coated capsules, 1,000 mg sodium bicarbonate each
- Ingredients: sodium bicarbonate, enteric-coated gelatin capsule (bovine)
- Directions: take 2 capsules (2g) with carbs, 1–2 hours before your workout. You can take up to 20 capsules at a time: build up gradually, take them with a meal and plenty of water, and spread larger amounts over 15–30 minutes.
Warnings: High in sodium: 550 mg per 2-capsule serving (24% DV), about 5,500 mg in 20 capsules. Do not use if you are on a sodium-restricted diet, have high blood pressure, kidney or heart disease, or are pregnant or nursing, unless your doctor says so. Keep out of reach of children.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Directions: take 2 capsules (2g) with carbs, 1–2 hours before your workout. Up to 20 capsules at a time.
Why it works
Hard efforts flood working muscle with acid. Extra bicarbonate in your blood helps clear it, so you can delay fatigue and hold your output longer. The International Society of Sports Nutrition rates it as effective for single and repeated high-intensity efforts.
Best for
MMA, HYROX, CrossFit, sprinting, rowing, spin intervals, boxing, swimming sets. Not for max-strength lifting or long steady runs.
Directions
Take 2 capsules (2g) with carbs, 1–2 hours before your workout. You can take up to 20 capsules at a time: build up gradually, take them with a meal and plenty of water, and spread larger amounts over 15–30 minutes. Try it in training before race day.
Warnings
High in sodium: 550 mg per 2-capsule serving (24% DV), about 5,500 mg in 20 capsules. Do not use if you are on a sodium-restricted diet, have high blood pressure, kidney or heart disease, or are pregnant or nursing, unless your doctor says so. Keep out of reach of children.
Less fatigue. More in the tank.
Sodium bicarbonate is one of the few supplements the International Society of Sports Nutrition rates as effective for performance. In study after study it delays fatigue, extends high-intensity endurance and helps athletes finish stronger, across both single all-out efforts and repeated intervals.
More total reps in a CrossFit-style “Fight Gone Bad” workout after 10 days of bicarbonate vs placebo, with the ventilatory threshold pushed back about 25 seconds.
The effort window where pooled studies show a clear endurance boost (effect size 0.40 across 25 studies). Think MMA rounds, HYROX stations, sprinting and hard rows.
Improved muscular endurance across 12 studies (effect size 0.37): more work before your muscles hit failure.
Over a 2 km row: trained CrossFit athletes finished 2.2% faster on bicarbonate than on placebo.
- Durkalec-Michalski K, et al. The effect of chronic progressive-dose sodium bicarbonate ingestion on CrossFit-like performance: a double-blind, randomized cross-over trial. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(5):e0197480.
- Grgic J, et al. Effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on exercise performance: an umbrella review. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:71.
- Grgic J, et al. Effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on exercise performance: an umbrella review. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:71.
- The effects of enteric-coated sodium bicarbonate supplementation on 2 km rowing performance in CrossFit® athletes. Edge Hill University, 2023. PubMed ID 36705750.
Findings come from published studies of sodium bicarbonate, not from trials of Buffer itself. Doses varied by study. Individual responses vary.
Straight answers.
What’s in it?
Sodium bicarbonate (1,000 mg per capsule) in an enteric-coated gelatin capsule. The capsule is bovine gelatin, so Buffer isn’t vegetarian.
Is this just baking soda?
Yes. Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda. The difference is a measured 1,000 mg dose in an enteric-coated capsule that’s built to get past your stomach, instead of a spoon and a glass of salty water.
How many capsules do I take?
Take 2 capsules (2g) with carbs, 1–2 hours before your workout. You can take up to 20 capsules at a time. Build up gradually in training, take larger amounts with a meal and plenty of water, and spread them over 15–30 minutes. Each capsule has about 275 mg of sodium, so 20 capsules carry about 5,500 mg.
Will it upset my stomach?
The enteric coating is designed to cut that down by opening in the small intestine instead of your stomach. Some people still feel it, so take it with a carb-rich meal and plenty of water, and try it in training before race day.
What kind of training is it for?
Hard efforts from about 30 seconds to 12 minutes, and repeated hard efforts: MMA rounds, HYROX stations, WODs, sprinting, rowing, spin intervals. It does little for max strength or long steady runs.
Who shouldn’t take it?
It is high in sodium: 550 mg per 2-capsule serving (24% of the daily value). Skip it and talk to your doctor if you are on a low-sodium diet, have high blood pressure, kidney or heart problems, or are pregnant or nursing.
Can I stack it?
Research suggests beta-alanine and creatine may add to the effect. Whether caffeine adds anything is unclear.