What is Baking Soda?
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda, is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baked goods. Chemically, baking soda is a mild base that reacts with acidic ingredients like buttermilk, yogurt, chocolate, etc to produce carbon dioxide bubbles that cause batters to rise. Besides cooking, baking soda has a variety of household and personal care uses ranging from cleaning, deodorizing, to teeth whitening.
Baking soda is generally recognized as safe for consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many people consume baking soda to take advantage of its purported health benefits. Proponents claim that baking soda can help with acid reflux, improve digestion, alkalize the body, boost athletic performance, whiten teeth, and more. But what does the science say about taking a teaspoon of baking soda every day? Let’s take a detailed look at the evidence.
Claimed Health Benefits of Consuming Baking Soda
Here are some of the commonly touted health benefits of consuming baking soda regularly:
May Help Relieve Heartburn by Neutralizing Stomach Acid
One of the most common uses of baking soda is as an antacid to neutralize excess stomach acid and relieve heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcer pain. Baking soda is alkaline and helps neutralize the stomach’s hydrochloric acid when taken dissolved in water. Many over-the-counter antacid formulations contain baking soda for this purpose.
According to Dr. Jamie Koufman, director of the Voice Institute of New York and author of Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook & Cure, baking soda can temporarily relieve acid reflux by neutralizing stomach acid and alleviating heartburn and indigestion. She recommends mixing 1⁄2 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drinking it when experiencing symptoms of acid reflux.
May Improve Digestion by Alkalizing the Body
Some natural health advocates claim that baking soda improves digestion and gut health by alkalizing the body. Your body naturally maintains a slightly alkaline pH of about 7.4. However, poor diet and lifestyle habits can cause the body’s pH to become more acidic.
Proponents believe that consuming baking soda can neutralize excess acid and restore a healthy pH balance. This supposedly helps digestion by creating a more favorable environment for beneficial gut bacteria. However, there is little scientific evidence that alkalizing the body provides benefits beyond temporary relief of acid reflux.
May Enhance Physical Performance and Endurance
Several studies have suggested that baking soda may help boost athletic performance by buffering lactic acid buildup, enhancing oxygen utilization, and increasing anaerobic threshold during exercise. Lactic acid buildup contributes to muscle fatigue.
In a 2006 study, researchers found that participants who took baking soda supplements before cycling were able to cycle for longer at higher intensity compared to those given a placebo. Other studies have reported similar improvements in performance during sprints and resistance exercise after taking baking soda.
May Slow Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease
Some research indicates that baking soda may help slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. In a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 2016, 134 patients with advanced chronic kidney disease were assigned to take sodium bicarbonate supplements or a placebo for 2 years.
Supplementation with sodium bicarbonate was found to significantly slow the rate of kidney function decline compared to the placebo group. Baking soda provides bicarbonate, which acts as an acid buffer and prevents metabolic acidosis that can occur with advanced kidney disease. More research is still needed to confirm these findings.
May Improve Dental Health by Whitening Teeth
Baking soda is a popular natural teeth whitening remedy. It works gently yet effectively to remove stains from teeth to whiten and brighten smiles. Baking soda creates an alkaline environment in your mouth that breaks down plaque and bacteria that cause discoloration of enamel.
It also acts as a mild abrasive that helps scrub away surface stains when used with a little water to make a paste. However, baking soda should not be used every day as it may wear down enamel over time.
May Soothe Ulcers by Reducing Excess Acid
Due to its neutralizing effect on stomach acid, baking soda is thought to help relieve pain and promote healing of peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers are sores in the lining of the stomach, esophagus, or small intestines that are caused by excess stomach acid eating away at the mucus-coated tissue.
Drinking a glass of water mixed with 1⁄2 teaspoon of baking soda may temporarily reduce ulcer pain by neutralizing some of the stomach acid responsible. However, it’s important to seek proper medical treatment for ulcers rather than just masking symptoms with baking soda long-term.
May Relieve Itching and Rashes by Soothing Skin
Baking soda is known to help soothe minor skin irritations like itchy rashes and bug bites thanks to its anti-inflammatory and inherently alkaline properties. Making a paste of baking soda and water and applying it to irritated skin can help reduce inflammation that causes itchiness, swelling, and redness.
The alkaline environment created by baking soda may also help inhibit growth of bacteria or fungi that can worsen skin rashes and irritation. However, baking soda should not replace medical treatment for persistent or severe rashes and skin conditions.
Is Consuming Baking Soda Daily Safe?
The FDA has approved baking soda as generally safe for consumption. Baking soda is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA as a food ingredient. The estimated lethal dose of baking soda is around 5–10 g per kg body weight.
Consuming a small amount of baking soda, such as 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon per day, is generally considered safe for most healthy adults. Larger doses may be used as an antacid under medical supervision. However, there are some safety concerns to be aware of with regular baking soda ingestion:
May Cause Abdominal Discomfort or Diarrhea
Consuming too much baking soda can create an overly alkaline environment in your digestive tract that irritates the intestinal lining. This may produce gas, bloating, cramping, nausea, and loose stools or diarrhea in some cases. Start with small doses and work up slowly to assess your tolerance.
May Interact with Certain Medications
The alkalizing effects of baking soda may potentially interact with acidic drugs and reduce their absorption and efficacy. Baking soda should not be taken within 2 hours of taking other oral medications. Check with your doctor before using baking soda if you take prescription drugs.
May Increase Urinary Sodium and Blood Pressure
Baking soda contains a good deal of sodium, with nearly 1 gram per teaspoon. Those monitoring their salt and sodium intake for high blood pressure should use caution with regular baking soda ingestion and consult a doctor.
Long-Term Overuse May Weaken Bones
There is some concern that chronic and excessive use of baking soda may increase the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures over time. Large amounts of baking soda could theoretically neutralize the healthy acid balance in bone tissue required for calcium absorption and bone strength.
May Cause Metabolic Alkalosis if Overdone
Taking too much baking soda regularly over long periods can result in a condition called metabolic alkalosis, marked by elevated pH of body fluids. This leads to impaired kidney function as the kidneys attempt to compensate by excreting excess bicarbonate.
To be safe, adults should limit baking soda intake to no more than 3–4 times per week at doses of 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon in water. Those with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or on sodium-restricted diets should exercise even more caution and consult a doctor before using baking soda.
What Does the Research Say About Daily Baking Soda Use?
Despite the popularity of baking soda supplements, there is limited high-quality scientific evidence to support many of the purported health benefits. Here’s a look at what the research has found so far:
May Help Temporarily Relieve Heartburn
Several clinical studies have shown that baking soda can effectively raise the pH of stomach acid and temporarily reduce symptoms of acid reflux when taken as an antacid. However, there is not much evidence that it provides long-term relief or healing of reflux issues when taken daily.
Minimal Evidence for Other Digestive Benefits
There is little solid scientific proof that taking baking soda regularly benefits digestion, gut health, or nutrient absorption in healthy individuals. Nor is there strong evidence that it can prevent or cure ulcers. More research is still needed in these areas.
May Enhance Exercise Performance
A few small studies report improvements in high-intensity exercise capacity and performance after taking baking soda. Proposed mechanisms include increased oxygen uptake and lactate threshold. However, effects seem limited to acute use around periods of exertion.
May Help Slow Kidney Disease Progression
Supplementing with bicarbonate slows kidney function decline in patients with chronic kidney disease, according to one well-designed study. Although promising, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be drawn.
Minimal Evidence for Other Claims
There is currently little solid scientific evidence that taking baking soda regularly yields meaningful benefits for bone strength, immune function, cancer prevention, urinary tract health, or other conditions. Future controlled studies are needed.
Generally Recognized as Safe in Small Doses
Consuming small amounts of baking soda diluted in water a few times per week is generally considered safe and well-tolerated in healthy adults based on its GRAS status with the FDA. However, excessive frequent use carries increased risks of side effects.
Conclusion
Based on available research, taking around 1⁄2-1 teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in water occasionally when needing relief from heartburn or acid reflux is generally considered safe for most healthy adults. However, regular daily use of baking soda has not been proven effective or advisable for the wide array of health benefits claimed by proponents.
There is some early evidence baking soda could help enhance physical performance and slow kidney disease progression, but more research is still needed. Consuming more than 3-4 times per week increases risk of side effects like stomach upset, sodium overload, and metabolic issues over time.
As with any supplement, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before starting a regular regimen of baking soda, especially if you have health conditions or take medications that could interact. Given the current lack of evidence for preventative benefits, focusing on proven lifestyle measures like a healthy diet, exercise, sleep, and stress relief is likely a much safer bet for your long-term health.