VO2 Max Protocol with Fanté Buffer

Jan 23, 2025

By luis martinez mora

What is it?

Bicarbonate is an endogenously produced extracellular anion and an integral component of the body's main pH buffering system. During high rates of anaerobic glycolysis (inevitable during prolonged periods of intense exercise), muscle can produce excess hydrogen ions (H+), leading to metabolic disturbances and ultimately contributing to fatigue.

Extracellular bicarbonate (ingested externally as FANTÉ BUFFER ) facilitates the elimination of these H+ ions and, to some extent, supports the body's ability to match the high rates of energy demand needed to maintain muscle function when we train.

Numerous studies have shown that endogenous bicarbonate levels can be safely and acutely increased following ingestion of between 0.2 and 0.3 g/kg of body weight of sodium bicarbonate. (1,2 ) .

With FANTÉ BUFFER , beginners will consume between 0.15-0.2g/kg of body weight, and advanced users will consume around 0.25-0.4g/kg of body weight, depending on their weight. This ensures you receive the recommended dose at all times.

The additional bicarbonate attenuates the inevitable increase in intramuscular H+, synonymous with high-intensity exercise. Meta-analyses have reported that supplementation at these levels can result in an approximate 2–3% improvement across a variety of performance measures (e.g., power, speed, work capacity, time to failure) during both single and repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise typically lasting 1–10 minutes. ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 )

The recommendations of the 2018 International Olympic Committee Sports Nutrition Consensus Statement conclude that sodium bicarbonate is one of the five supplements that consistently improve performance in elite athletes.

How should I use FANTÉ BUFFER?

Current intake recommendations are to consume between 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg body weight with a small carbohydrate-rich meal (1.5 g/kg CHO) approximately 2 to 3 hours before exercise. ( 7 )

Taking it with a small, carbohydrate-rich meal promotes blood alkalosis and reduces the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms (common with high use of this supplement). This method of administration would give athletes susceptible to gastrointestinal disturbances (which typically peak 90 minutes after ingestion) more time to resolve any potential problems before competition or training. ( 8 )

Therefore, by using FANTÉ BUFFER , you would always obtain, based on your body weight, approximately 0.2 grams/kg of bicarbonate and 1 g/kg of carbohydrates. The remaining 0.5 g/kg, as scientifically proven, would be obtained with two slices of white toast and jam (as shown in the protocol image).

During what type of training?

Alicia Ávila Sanchez, Co-founder of FANTÉ, graduate in physical activity and sport and expert in athlete physiology, has prepared 2 examples for both athletes who practice cycling and athletes who practice running.

It's important to keep in mind that this is just an example, and training zones and power outputs should be individualized for each athlete. But generally speaking, we should use it during threshold training sessions, specifically those aimed at improving VO2 max.

Science behind it

We have already discussed many aspects of sodium bicarbonate and the science behind it throughout this guide.

Furthermore, there is compelling evidence that the use of bicarbonate by athletes competing in high-intensity activities lasting from 1 to 10 minutes, for example, swimming, rowing and middle-distance running, improves their performance with the consumption of sodium bicarbonate(4)

In addition to the long-standing protocol of 0.2-0.4 grams/kg of body weight of sodium bicarbonate 2-3 hours before exercise, a "loading" approach can be used with smaller amounts (e.g., 0.1 mg/kg body weight of bicarbonate) consumed 1 dose every hour during competition .(7)

That's why our protocol goes a step further: we maintain bicarbonate intake at 5 grams per hour for every hour of training, ensuring bicarbonate levels are maintained for longer and the effect is much greater. Although the percentage of improvement this protocol offers compared to the conventional one cannot yet be confirmed, progress is being made in this area, and it is speculated that we could see an additional 2% improvement.

Possible side effects

The main side effect associated with sodium bicarbonate supplementation is gastrointestinal discomfort, with symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. This poses a serious practical problem for competitive athletes, as it can counteract any potential performance benefits derived from improved shock absorption.

A study systematically examined a series of sodium bicarbonate supplementation protocols, varying the time required to consume the dose (between 30 and 60 minutes), the method of administration (flavored powder or capsules), and the consumption of varying amounts of liquid or food with the sodium bicarbonate(4). Of the protocols tested, the best strategy for optimizing blood bicarbonate levels and reducing the occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms was to consume the capsules in a distributed protocol, starting between 120 and 150 minutes before the start of exercise and, if practical, at the same time as consuming a meal consisting of carbohydrate-rich foods and some liquid.

That is why the FANTÉ BUFFER protocol rigorously follows these measures, but this does not completely eliminate the possibility of these side effects occurring.

If you are a beginner using bicarbonate of soda, we recommend that you try the amounts recommended in the BEGINNER USE MODE table and then, as you tolerate the amounts, move on to the ADVANCED USE MODE table.

If you continue to experience gastrointestinal problems after all of this, try drinking twice the recommended amount of water to avoid hyperosmolarity in the intestine. If your recommended dose based on weight is 400ml, try drinking 800ml with the bicarbonate.

If I use Fanté Buffer, do I have to ingest extra sodium?

Sodium bicarbonate contains approximately 273 mg of sodium per gram, so you wouldn't need to consume extra sodium from salt tablets. However, it would be advisable if your hourly carbohydrate intake exceeds 45 g. Use it in combination with Gel Lite 30 , which contains 30 grams of carbohydrates, to reach an intake of 75 g per hour.

Anti-doping test

Changes in urinary pH can be expected after bicarbonate supplementation. If an athlete is selected for doping control, they may have to wait several hours before their urinary pH returns to levels acceptable to anti-doping authorities. However, this does not mean that the use of sodium bicarbonate is prohibited; it simply means that urine pH may vary after using this supplement.

OTHER PROTOCOLS (PROTOTYPE) (NOT RECOMMENDED AS THERE IS NO CLEAR EVIDENCE BEHIND THEM YET)

Before explaining which other protocols might have beneficial effects on performance, it is important to note that the protocol with the most scientific evidence would be the consumption of between 0.2 and 0.4 g/kg of body weight of bicarbonate 2 to 3 hours before ( GLUT 5 BUFFER BAG ) followed by the use of 5 grams of bicarbonate per hour during training ( GLUT 5 BUFFER single dose )

Alternatively, at FANTÉ we encourage you to try other protocols that are being studied and have shown promising results so far, but still require further investigation. There is no conclusive evidence to support them.

The first is a bicarbonate supplementation protocol that includes multiple divided doses over several days before competition. This involves a higher daily dose of bicarbonate (0.5 g/kg of body weight) in several equal doses (e.g., 0.1 g/kg of body weight of bicarbonate with 3 main meals and 2 snacks) up to 5 days before competition, as well as on the day of competition. (9)

In other words, it would mean using the FANTÉ BUFFER , 5 servings of:

<50kg = 33 grams FANTÉ BUFFER sachet or 1 dose FANTÉ BUFFER single dose

50-60 kg = 40 grams FANTÉ BUFFER bag

60-70 kg = 47 grams FANTÉ BUFFER bag

70-80 kg = 53 grams FANTÉ BUFFER bag

80-90 kg = 60 grams FANTÉ BUFFER bag

<90 kg = 67 grams FANTÉ BUFFER bag

If you want to use this extra protocol, we would recommend practicing it for 3 to 4 weeks, comparing digestive and performance sensations to assess whether to include it in your pre-race strategy or better use the protocol that has more scientific evidence and that we recommend over this one, which would be the FANTÉ BUFFER PROTOCOL explained in the attached image.