How To Use Baking Soda For Heartburn Relief With Recipes


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What do you get if you combine the best sleeping position (the left side) and add an incline? The MedCline Acid Reflux Pillow System (wedge pillow).

Baking soda has been used as a low-cost antacid for many years and may even be recommended by your doctor as a treatment method. With a pH greater than 7, baking soda can effectively neutralize stomach acid.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can be found in many homes for cooking purposes and is therefore readily available to many suffering from heartburn.

It’s also interesting to note, that the body’s panaceas naturally produces sodium bicarbonate for use in neutralizing stomach acid.

Forms of Baking Soda Available for Heartburn Relief

Sodium bicarbonate for treating heartburn can be found in the following forms:

  • Capsules
  • Granules
  • Powder
  • Solutions
  • Tablets

Baking soda is even found in certain heartburn medications such as Zegerid which contains both omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate.

Note: Taking baking powder for acid reflux is wrong. Baking soda and baking powder are different. Baking powder will not work as an antacid because its other ingredients render it neutral instead of providing the pH level needed to help lower stomach acidity.

How to Prepare the Baking Soda Heartburn Remedy

Here are four recipes for preparing baking soda and water for heartburn. Well, really one way with three additional variants. Please see “Risks and Side Effects” below. A person’s physical condition may limit the amount of sodium bicarbonate they should ingest.

Baking Soda Heartburn Recipe:

According to the Mayo Clinic, half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water every two hours is appropriate for an adult. Do not treat a child’s heartburn with sodium bicarbonate without a doctor determining the proper dosage for that child.1

Arm & Hammer instructions and warnings for using baking soda for a heartburn remedy:

Add ½ teaspoon to ½ glass (4 fl. oz.) of water every 2 hours, or as directed by a physician. Dissolve completely in water. Accurately measure ½ teaspoon.

Warnings:

  • Ask a doctor before use if you have a sodium-restricted diet.
  • Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are taking a prescription drug. Antacids may interact with certain prescription drugs.
  • Do not administer to children under age 5.
  • STOMACH WARNING: TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY, DO NOT TAKE UNTIL POWDER IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE THIS PRODUCT WHEN OVERLY FULL OF FOOD OR DRINK. Consult a doctor if severe stomach pain occurs after taking this product.
  • Stop use and ask a doctor if symptoms last more than 2 weeks.
  • *Do not take more than the following amounts in 24 hours:
    • Seven ½ teaspoons
    • Three ½ teaspoons if you are over 60 years of age.
    • Do not use the maximum dosage for more than 2 weeks.
    • Each ½ teaspoon contains 616mg sodium.

Baking Soda for Heartburn Recipe – Variation #1:

Add a few drops of lemon juice to the preparation instructions above. The lemon will not only help the flavor but will help prevent acid production in the stomach.

Baking Soda for Heartburn Recipe – Variation #2:

Mix the baking soda in a cup of warm water. Then add a teaspoon of honey and stir until dissolved.

This variation reduces the burning sensation and helps get the baking soda mixture down.

Many people don’t find the taste pleasant. Adding honey helps improve the taste… The best form of honey to use is manuka honey.

Baking Soda for Heartburn Recipe – Variation #3:

Add a few drops of lemon juice to Variation #3 above. The lemon will not only help the flavor but will help prevent acid production in the stomach.

Is It OK to Take Baking Soda for Heartburn?

  • Sodium bicarbonate is a form of sodium. You should not use this method of treatment if you are on a low-sodium diet.
  • Baking soda can negatively interact with certain medications and supplements.
  • Pregnant women should not use baking soda as an antacid.
  • Children under the age of 6 shouldn’t take antacids unless approved by a doctor.
  • Taking on a full stomach will cause further distention of the abdomen and will most likely increase the risk of having acid reflux as the gas produced from neutralizing the stomach acid is belched. The gas will let the stomach content reflux through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) into the esophagus.
  • Taking baking soda for GERD may not be your best remedy. Baking soda and water is best used for occasional heartburn due to acid reflux.

Possible Side Effects of Using Baking Soda for Heartburn

  • Gas – belching and farting if you don’t burp enough of the gas off.2
  • Nausea
  • Increased thirst due to salt intake.
  • Frequent urination
  • Headache
  • Raised blood pressure due to the sodium content.
  • Abdominal distention and cramps as the gas you don’t burp off tries to find a way out.
  • Diarrhea can occur if you take baking soda in large quantities.
  • The lower stomach acids prevent the absorption of certain minerals in the body.
  • Loss of appetite and/or unexplained weight loss
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Swelling in limbs and feet due to excess salt
  • Bloody stools
  • Urine with blood
  • Vomiting
  • Impaired digestion. Acid is needed to help break down foods and kill certain bacteria and yeast. The decreased stomach acid can also lead to allergies and inflammation because microbes that are normally killed off enter into the bloodstream.
  • Overcorrection of the acid level in the body leads to alkalosis.
  • Rupture of the stomach or digestive tract could occur in rare cases if there are other digestive tract issues and is one of the many reasons to consult a doctor first.
How to use baking soda for heartburn. Recipe for remedy with two variations.

References

1) “Sodium Bicarbonate (Oral Route, Intravenous Route, Subcutaneous Route).” Mayo Clinic, Oct. 01, 2018.

2) “Sodium Bicarbonate.” MedlinePlus, April 15, 2017.

10 Replies to “How To Use Baking Soda For Heartburn Relief With Recipes”

    1. Hello Sid, side effects of statins can cause bloating, gas and constipation. All three of these can lead to acid reflux. Blood pressure medications can cause heartburn by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If you have blood pressure issues, the sodium in baking soda can be a concern. Please speak with your doctor before using this or any other natural heartburn remedy.

  1. The article claims that:
    ‘Other forms of baking soda can be found in:…….’

    and lists, among others:

    ‘Medications containing omeprazole’

    as either containing both baking soda and omeprazole, or that omeprazole actually IS a form of baking soda. It could be read either way. However, regardless of how you read it, it is a 100% false statement (false as in wrong, not false as in a lie). Omeprazole is in an entirely different class of drugs than sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is and there are no medications that contain both. Both can treat excess stomach acid, but otherwise have about as much in common as baby aspirin and morphine do for treating pain.

    1. Hello Richard, I apologize if my wording confused you. I have reworded the statement to clarify. You might look at Zegerid and it’s generics. They contain both omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate. I was thinking of these drugs when I made the reference but did not mention them specifically. Yes, omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate are entirely different classes of drugs and should not be confused. Best wishes!

  2. When using Baking soda,use Bob’s Red Mill, a much,much better product than Arm and Hammer. Arm and Hammer has too much aluminum in it. It costs a little more but is worth it. A pound bag is about $3 on Amazon.

    1. where does the aluminum come from you mention? Baking soda is just sodium bicarbonate. I know there is aluminum in baking powder.

  3. The honey in the little bear bottle is most likely not real honey, but can be nothing but honey flavored high fructose corn syrup. A raw, unpasteurized honey is the best.

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