Sodium bicarbonate

See also: CITROSODINA ® - Sodium bicarbonate - Sodium bicarbonate and lactic acid

Use and Property

Sodium bicarbonate, due to its ability to neutralize acids, is often administered in the presence of heartburn, gastritis, peptic ulcers and whenever it is necessary to alkalize the urine or other body fluids.

Drug poisoning

In the case of intoxication by drugs with characteristics of weak acids, sodium bicarbonate - making the urine basic - inhibits renal reabsorption by promoting its excretion; it is the case, for example, of aspirin and barbiturates, which in an environment basic (being weak acids) are found mainly in the dissociated form, much more unfavorable to their reabsorption than the non-dissociated form.

Kidney stones

In parallel, in predisposed patients, the alkalinization of the urine with sodium bicarbonate is useful to prevent the formation of kidney stones of uric acid.

Indigestion and Reflux

However, the best known application of bicarbonate remains the treatment of indigestion, acid reflux and, more generally, all the conditions associated with excessive gastric acidity. When in contact with hydrochloric acid (HCl), typical of the gastric environment, sodium bicarbonate in fact develops the following reaction:

NaHCO3 + HCl → NaCl + H2O + CO2 (g)

CO2 (g) is nothing more than carbon dioxide in the gaseous state, which is released in the stomach by dilating its walls. The pressure increase therefore increases the volume of the organ, just like it happens after a large meal; this distension, however, is known to be the most important stimulus for the release of gastrin, a hormone that increases the synthesis of digestive enzymes but above all of hydrochloric acid by the stomach. Therefore, in addition to an annoying sense of gastric bloating and meteorism, the intake of sodium bicarbonate as an antacid can trigger a reflex, mediated by gastrin, which increases the production of hydrochloric acid; after an initial relief it can therefore produce a worsening symptoms.

The above also makes us understand how sodium bicarbonate should never be taken after great binges, since the stomach is already hyperdilated by overeating.

In pharmaceutical preparations with antacid action, sodium bicarbonate is sometimes associated with dimethicone, which acts as a carminative by reducing the size of the CO2 bubbles that form in the stomach, thus attenuating the phenomena of flatulence and belching.

The need for frequent administration, to compensate for the rapid neutralization of bicarbonate, can lead to an excessive intake of sodium, a mineral which, at high concentrations, becomes dangerous for those suffering from hypertension (given the increase in volume and the strength with which the blood pushes on the walls of the vessels); it follows a higher risk of hypertension, edema and water retention.

Other Uses

In the blood, bicarbonates act as important buffers for acids, helping to keep the blood pH at fairly constant values; the intravenous administration of a sodium bicarbonate solution can therefore be practiced in a hospital setting if there is a picture of metabolic acidosis.

Sodium bicarbonate-based supplements are sometimes used by athletes to prolong the resistance to lactacid effort, during which large quantities of lactic acid are produced and released into the blood with a consequent tendency to slight acidification.

Read also:

• Cancer and baking soda
• Sodium Bicarbonate for Teeth Whitening

How to use and Precautions

By virtue of the potential and numerous side effects, the use of sodium bicarbonate should meet the prior medical consent, especially in the presence of ongoing diseases or concomitant drug therapies.

As an antacid, it is recommended to use it one or two hours after meals, together with a glass of water; the dosage is 325-2000 mg of sodium bicarbonate orally, one to four times a day.