What Maurten's Lead Sports Dietitian Wants You to Know About Sodium Bicarb & Other Fueling Strategies

In Episode 122 of The Eat for Endurance Podcast, I’m catching up with Lauren Thomas, an endurance athlete and Maurten’s Lead Sports Dietitian in the US, to talk all about sodium bicarbonate and other fueling strategies for athletes.

Lauren and I actually go way back, as we briefly worked together over a decade ago in NYC in another dietitian's private practice. It was great to reconnect and hear all about where her life and career has taken her, including collegiate sports, the tactical space within the US Special Operations community, and now as Maurten’s Lead Performance Dietitian in the US.

There were so many things I wanted to explore with Lauren, so this conversation is a true grab bag of topics. We cover many of the nutrition challenges and themes that Lauren has observed while wearing many different dietitian hats over the years. 

From sodium bicarbonate to carb timing, hydration, and real-world fueling logistics, Lauren offers a thoughtful perspective based on her unique mix of experiences.

FYI: This episode is NOT sponsored by Maurten. We do talk about Maurten products, as that is part of Lauren’s career and story, but as always, I encourage you to try different products and strategies to find what works best for you. 

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From Special Ops to Sports Nutrition with Maurten

Lauren’s career path has been anything but traditional. After working with college athletes at the University of Georgia, she moved into the role of Tactical Performance Dietitian, working within the US Special Operations community for 7 years as part of an integrated Human Performance team.

That experience gave her a front-row seat to the power of a multidisciplinary approach to performance, working side-by-side with strength coaches, psychologists, physicians, and PTs to support high-performing athletes. Now, as the Lead Performance Dietitian for Maurten, she brings that same systems-level perspective to a wide variety of elite and amateur athletes, helping them fuel smarter for training and racing.

Overcoming Common Sports Nutrition Challenges

Every athlete faces unique challenges when it comes to fueling, whether that’s supplement confusion (what works, what doesn’t, what’s potentially harmful, etc), fueling basics for day-to-day life, or sport-specific nutrition recommendations, like when to fuel on a technical trail or during a fast-paced gravel bike race. 

In this episode, Lauren and I dive into some of the most common sports nutrition challenges and how to approach them with practical, evidence-based fueling strategies.

Sodium Bicarbonate: Is This Supplement Worth the Hype?

Sodium bicarb has been around forever as a performance supplement, but it has gained more attention since Maurten released a version with its hydrogel technology to reduce risk of GI distress.

Lauren explains:

• Why sodium bicarb has strong evidence as a performance enhancer

• How it may work beyond hydrogen buffering (e.g. affecting pain perception)

• How it may benefit not just sprinters but endurance athletes facing hills, surges, or hard efforts within longer races

• What we know (and don’t know) about timing and dosing for endurance events

Even as Maurten's own dietitian, Lauren clearly states that sodium bicarb might be worth exploring only if you’ve already nailed your fueling basics. You will experience MUCH bigger performance gains by dialing in the basics, especially your carb intake, than by ingesting sodium bicarb.

Periodizing Your Fueling

One of the most common challenges Lauren sees is athletes sticking to the same fueling plan every day, regardless of training demands.

We dig into:

• Why nutrition should shift with training load, not just on long-run days

• How under-fueling on shorter training days (e.g. track workouts) can derail progress

• Practical ways to use “performance plates” and in-session carbs to better match intake to demand

Our message as sports dietitians is simple but powerful: the harder and/or longer the session, the higher the need for carbs and recovery nutrition.

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Sodium, Hydration & Fueling Priorities

Electrolytes are everywhere these days (it seems like every company out there has their own line of supplements), and many athletes assume more sodium equals better performance. 

Lauren challenges that narrative, pointing out that:

• Carbs and fluids should come first; sodium needs depend on fluid losses and intake, as well as duration of exercise

• Current research shows that sodium should be prioritized more for efforts > 4 hours

• Sweat sodium concentration fluctuates with diet and heat acclimation, so a single sweat test doesn't tell the full story

• US athletes tend to over-consume sodium compared to EU athletes, often at the expense of meeting carb needs

Hydration is a complex topic, and it can be tough to give generalized recommendations because it's so dependent on every person’s unique body, training, and needs. The big takeaway is to nail carbs and fluids first, and to add sodium as needed for your body and needs and also based on the duration of your activity.

Fueling Across Sports & Terrains

Fueling strategies aren’t just influenced by the type of sport you do, but also the culture of that sport. Runners, cyclists, swimmers, and team-sport athletes often approach nutrition very differently, even when their training demands look similar on paper.

These cultural norms, combined with the practical realities of each sport, play a huge role in whether athletes are under-fueling, overdoing certain products, or finding themselves unprepared on race day.

Lauren has observed:

• Shorter-distance athletes (like collegiate track runners) often under-fuel due to outdated fueling practices

• Cyclists tend to push the limits of high-carb fueling, while swimmers and teen athletes often struggle due to logistical or cultural barriers in their sport

• Technical terrain and race logistics (climbs, descents, or chaotic bike starts) require planning ahead, sometimes front-loading fuel before tough sections

The key is being intentional: knowing when you can fuel, when you’ll likely be limited, and practicing those strategies in training.

Key Takeaways:

• Carbs and hydration should be your top fueling priorities

• Sodium bicarbonate can boost performance, but only once fueling basics are dialed in

• Adjust your fueling to match training intensity and duration, not just mileage

• Hydration strategies should prioritize fluid and carb intake first, with sodium tailored to individual needs and exercise duration

• Plan fueling around the real-world details of your sport and the type of terrain you're on

Ready to Overcome Your Own Fueling Challenges?

If you’re struggling with your own sports nutrition challenges, whether it’s nailing hydration, figuring out carb timing, incorporating sodium bicarb, or just building confidence in your race-day fueling, I’m here to help.

I’ve worked with runners, cyclists, triathletes, and other endurance athletes for over 10 years to fine-tune both everyday nutrition and performance fueling strategies. I offer a variety of services to fit every budget. 

Here’s what one of my clients had to say about our time working together:

“Claire is amazing! We worked together for 4 months during the build up to a race and I couldn’t be happier with how it all went. Claire helped me with all of my nutrition issues and needs, coached me through how to approach my diet in a more positive and healthy way, and was always available to chat and answer my questions. I’ll definitely be reaching out to her for some a la carte sessions as things evolve and would 100% recommend folks take the 2 or 3-month 1:1 program. It’s definitely worth it! Thank you, Claire!!” -João C.

Here are some ways we can work together:

• Join my membership service, Fuel for Life Crew, for $30/month (cancel anytime)

• Check out my free nutrition downloads

• Browse my library of nutrition masterclasses (all are included inside the Fuel for Life Crew membership)

• Fill out a new client inquiry form if you’re interested in 1:1 nutrition coaching

Challenges are bound to come up, but together, we can overcome them so you can move forward with confidence in your fueling plan!

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Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendations.