Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Sodium bicarbonate is also known as baking soda. It has many medicinal properties and numerous applications in various fields. Sodium bicarbonate can be used both in the kitchen and in cosmetics, as an antiperspirant or an ingredient in peels. Find out about the wide use of this popular chemical.
The properties of sodium bicarbonate were discovered by the people of America. First, it was used in the kitchen. However, this compound can also be used for cleaning or as a liquidator of unpleasant odors. Sodium bicarbonate also has numerous healing properties.
Sodium bicarbonate – production
Sodium bicarbonate comes from the mined snow soda, or throne. It consists of trisodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate. It is produced by the evaporation of salt lakes in a hot desert climate. It occurs, for example, in Arizona and on the African Lake Magami.
This compound is mined at great depths. To find it, you need to descend about 250 meters into the ground. After extraction, the snow soda is crushed and further processed. Trona is turned into soda ash, which is used to make sodium bicarbonate, i.e. baking soda, which goes to stores.
Sodium bicarbonate – healing properties
Sodium bicarbonate has a good effect on our health. It can be used to cleanse the body of toxins and to regulate the pH in our body. In this case, however, sodium bicarbonate should be used regularly, max. Three weeks.
In addition, sodium bicarbonate will refresh our breath and help get rid of various unpleasant mouth odors. Just rinse your mouth with the solution. To create a solution, put about a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water. This mixture can also be added to the mouthwash for an even more fresh feeling. It will be appreciated most by people wearing braces.
Sodium bicarbonate can help get rid of bad smell not only from the mouth, but also from plaster. To do this, you can put some baking soda inside the plaster cast and then blow the powder inside with the help of a dryer.
The union will also help people suffering from cystic fibrosis. These types of people have a much more acidic respiratory tract than healthy people. This makes it difficult for them to fight bacteria. According to a study by scientists from the University of Iowa (USA), a mutation in the CFTR protein leads to an acid reaction in the airways, which makes it difficult to fight infections. It allows you to fight sodium bicarbonate, which has been proven in animal studies.
Scientists gave the animals a regular solution of sodium bicarbonate via the respiratory tract, which restored the lungs to normal and also killed the bacteria almost as effectively as in healthy animals. Due to the fact that the research is at a very early stage, scientists advise against self-inhalation with sodium bicarbonate, as their effects on the body have not been fully investigated.
It can also be used for urinary tract infections (adding sodium bicarbonate to a bathtub while bathing can relieve burning skin associated with urinary tract infections.) And relieve sore throat and runny nose with inhalations, gargle or sodium bicarbonate nasal drops.
For inhalation, pour about 1 liter of boiling water into the bowl and add a tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate. Then cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl. Remember to inhale air through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. This form of inhalation has an anti-swelling effect and, what is equally important, it facilitates breathing in case of a runny nose and cough. In the case of colds, it is worth using it at least once a day. Inhalation should last about 10 minutes.
For gargling, you should mix sodium bicarbonate, brown sugar and salt in equal proportions and dissolve them in a glass of warm water. We should gargle with the prepared mixture at least once a day.
For nasal drops, mix 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water. Put one or two drops of the solution into each hole, thanks to which we can quickly feel relief from the rhinitis.
Bicarbonate will also help fight heartburn and indigestion as it has an antacid effect. Some people believe that sodium bicarbonate, dissolved in water along with lemon juice or vinegar, is a proven remedy for heartburn. Unfortunately, this solution does not cure heartburn, but only temporarily “puts it to sleep”. In case of heartburn, it is better to visit a doctor who will prescribe the appropriate medications.
- Heartburn – causes, symptoms. What about heartburn? Homemade ways
In the case of insect bites, prepare a paste of sodium bicarbonate (add enough water to it to get the consistency of a paste) and apply it to the places where we have been bitten by bees and other insects, thanks to which we will feel immediate relief.
To cope with unpleasant effects of sunbathing You should mix about 1/4 cup sodium bicarbonate with 1/2 cup cornstarch in a bathtub of lukewarm water. Then we should immerse ourselves in such a mixture for as long as we can endure. We can also put a cloth dipped in ice-cold water with sodium bicarbonate on the skin. This will allow us to reduce the risk of blisters.
Sodium bicarbonate is also great for diaper dermatitis by washing your baby’s bottom with sodium bicarbonate dissolved in warm water (remember not to use dry sodium bicarbonate for this purpose). Baking soda soothes irritations and neutralizes the acid in the urine, and an effective remedy for aphthas (slight white lesions in the mouth) or cracked skin at the corners of the mouth is warm water with baking soda. Wash the affected areas with the solution 4 or 5 times a day with sterile gauze.
You also need to remember that You should not take sodium bicarbonate orally as well as other antacidswhen your stomach is full as you risk damaging it. Sodium bicarbonate should not be taken orally, without the prior approval of a doctor, by people on a diet restricted in sodium intake. Patients taking heart medications should also not consume sodium bicarbonate (and other antacids). In addition, you should not consume sodium bicarbonate for more than two weeks.
Sodium bicarbonate in the kitchen
Sodium bicarbonate is just baking soda. It is associated with baking and can be used as a substitute for baking powder. However, this is not its only application.
Sodium bicarbonate will help give the chocolate cake a dark color, and after soaking the fish in a sodium bicarbonate solution, we will get rid of the unpleasant smell from it. It will also help to get rid of the smell of cooked cauliflower and onions or garlic from your hands.
In addition, sodium bicarbonate added to the frying fat will make the breadcrumbs more crunchy.
In addition, it allows you to avoid weighing the boiled milk. To avoid this, some sodium bicarbonate is added to it, or if you feel that there is too much vinegar in red borscht or other soups, thanks to the action of sodium bicarbonate it can eliminate excess acidity.
Sodium bicarbonate in cosmetics
Sodium bicarbonate is also widely used in cosmetics:
- peeling – just add sodium bicarbonate to your face gel or add it to olive oil, such a peeling will help us eliminate e.g. dry skin on the elbows;
- antiperspirant – by using sodium bicarbonate, you will avoid irritation, even on freshly shaved skin. You can mix it with talcum powder and rub the mixture on your skin;
- whitening – baking soda is a popular ingredient used in home whitening of teeth. However, it should be remembered that the whitening effect is only the result of enamel wear. Dentists advise that enamel can be easily damaged in this way.
Sodium bicarbonate – use in sports
During high-intensity exercise, acid and carbon dioxide build up in the muscles and blood. Sodium bicarbonate increases buffering capacity, which has the potential to benefit high performance during exercise. It supports intracellular pH regulation by increasing the pH and the concentration of bicarbonate (HCO3–).
The pH gradient formed between the two environments leads to the outflow of H + and La– (lactate) ions from the muscles subjected to work during the training unit. Sodium bicarbonate increases the exercise capacity of athletes during exercise. It improves performance by about 2% for short-term, high-intensity sprints, the duration of which is max. 60 seconds, while when the duration of exercise exceeds 10 minutes, baking soda is no longer of such use.
Sodium bicarbonate also improves the performance of people who perform high-intensity and repetitive strength exercisesfor example during CrossFit. Baking soda allows this type of training to perform the number of repetitions higher by 2–6%. Research confirms that bicarbonate can improve the performance of trained swimmers over 200 m freestyle and exercise capacity in short runs of 400–800 meters or cycling 2/3 km.
See also: What does the athlete’s diet look like?
Sodium bicarbonate – dosage
Supplementation with sodium bicarbonate is recommended for endurance-strength as well as endurance-speed efforts that last from 1 to 7 minutes. These are, for example, medium-distance runs, swimming sections of 200 and 400 meters or the aforementioned crossfit.
Various doses of sodium bicarbonate were used in the studies, however, it was assumed that the appropriate dose is 300 mg sodium bicarbonate per kilogram body weight. It is recommended to dissolve the calculated amount of powder into an isotonic drink, which should then be drunk in the next 30 minutes so that you finish 90-120 minutes before the planned training or start.
It should be remembered that its administration over a longer period of time or the use of lower doses does not affect physical performance. Its effect is observed only during intense physical exertion, and not immediately after its consumption.
Sodium bicarbonate – side effects
Before taking supplementation, it should be borne in mind that its use may cause side effects. This may be manifested by stomach cramps, flatulence, nausea or vomiting. Too high doses can even cause cardiac arrhythmias.
To minimize the risk of gastrointestinal disturbances, consume baking soda with a small meal rich in carbohydrates (about 1,5 g carbohydrates per kg of total body weight), divide it into smaller portions or use sodium citrate. However, it should be remembered that sodium bicarbonate can cause gastrointestinal disorders, and determine the optimal supplementation strategy for you.
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.