Sodium bicarbonate has become one of endurance sports' most powerful legal performance enhancers, with the IOC itself recognizing it as such. A new UK product called FlyCarb has entered the discussion and is going to be an exciting option for bicarb supplementation.
When Maurten first introduced bicarb to athletes a few years ago, they didn’t just launch a product—they created an entirely new performance category. It fundamentally changed what was possible in high-intensity racing, becoming a true game-changer for athletes looking to buffer lactic acid more effectively. Since then, adoption has accelerated rapidly, with category sales up more than 100% this year as breakthrough performances followed.
Now, a new product from the UK—FlyCarb—is launching and looks to be an amazing option.
First, Why Take Bicarb?
The normally stoic IOC said this:
"The International Olympic Committee recognizes sodium bicarbonate as one of the most effective legal ergogenic aids for enhancing exercise performance."
If that's not an endorsement, I don't know what is.
What Does Bicarb Actually Feel Like When You Take It?
When your legs would normally start to burn, you can keep going and push yourself past your limits. This is obviously a huge advantage in competition, but even more so in training. If you can push yourself past your limits once per week, you'll become a stronger athlete—fast. And it’s not confined to a single sport. There isn’t a performance category that hasn’t started to adopt bicarb.
Early on, many assumed it would only matter for short, high-intensity efforts. HYROX is the perfect example—and it works exceptionally well there. Without revealing any secrets, Feed athletes claimed five of the six podium spots at last week’s Elite HYROX race in Phoenix.
But it doesn’t stop there. David Roche swears by bicarb for 16-hour ultramarathon efforts, proving it works for short and fast and long and relentless (even if “not that fast” is relative when David’s involved).
The key is exposure. You’ll want to use bicarb in training for at least four weeks before competition to get comfortable with it. And honestly—it’s fun. I still surprise myself with how much more power I can produce and how quickly I recover during hard sessions.
Now, back to the products themselves.
Bicarb is bicarb. If you could stomach it, you could just take baking soda and swallow it (don't do this), but you'll either throw up or have major gastric distress. What matters is the delivery system that delivers the right amount of bicarb without causing illness.
But, here's the hard part.
It takes some serious effort to get either of these down. You're definitely not doing it for the taste. You're doing this to go faster. Period. If you're trying it for the first time, you just have to go for it and dig deep. Remember I told you so.
How FlyCarb and Maurten Differ
The main advantage of FlyCarb is that it's about 1/3 the volume. Why does this matter? Since both are difficult to swallow, you can take FlyCarb faster, rinse your mouth, and move on.
Maurten is its hydrogel base, which has a sweeter flavor. FlyCarb has an actual flavor (Mango). You don't really notice the flavor that much—what you taste is just really salty.
If you want something sweet, go with Maurten. If you prefer salty over sweet, go with FlyCarb.
A Few Critical Tips
You must eat it all. One time I used Maurten and tried to avoid eating all the hydrogel—just get the bicarbonate tablets you mix into it. Big mistake. You need to consume all the "gel" base on both products. That's what protects you from getting sick.
Timing. This isn't a vague recommendation. You need to get this right: 2 hours before your training or race. That's your magic window. Don't miss it.
Dosage is weight-dependent. You can go below your recommended dosage (David Roche does this to save money in training), but you don't want to exceed it. Each product page lists what gram dosage you need for your body weight.
My recommendation: start low and go up over time.
What's The Price?
FlyCarb is $10 per serving. Maurten is $17.50.
FlyCarb comes in a single-serve option or 4-serving packs, and you can optionally add their mixing bowl. I recommend the bowl, at least for your first order. Maurten comes in a 4-serving pack with a mixing bowl included.
Give it a shot in training. You're going to be shocked at what you can push through.
