The real benefits of baking soda water have little to do with internet “detox” trends and everything to do with chemistry, and research shows that baking soda works through well-understood acid-base reactions rather than vague wellness claims.So, can you drink baking soda water safely, and what does baking soda do in water? When you put baking soda or sodium bicarbonate in water, you get a mild alkaline drink—essentially baking soda in a glass—that can neutralize excess stomach acid, change urine pH, and temporarily increase blood bicarbonate levels.
Because of this, drinking baking soda water may help ease heartburn, support some kidney patients, and improve short bursts of athletic performance. New research also suggests it can calm certain kinds of inflammation. This leads many people to ask whether baking soda is good for health. Baking soda is generally safe in small, short-term doses for healthy adults, but its potential health benefits always depend on dose, frequency, and underlying health conditions. There are real risks too, especially from its high sodium content.
In this guide, you’ll learn what does baking soda do in water from a scientific perspective, which health benefits are backed by evidence, whether and when you can drink baking soda water, how much baking soda is safe to drink per day, and when you should avoid it. You’ll also see simple recipes, clear dose ranges, and straight talk about myths like weight loss and cancer cures.
Fast Facts: What Research Shows About Drinking Baking Soda Water
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What it is: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) dissolved in plain water to make a mild alkaline drink (pH about 8.3–8.5).
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Strongest evidence for drinking baking soda water—often summarized as 6 benefits of baking soda when discussed in popular media, though science supports only a few of these clearly.
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Short‑term relief of acid reflux and indigestion by helping neutralize excess stomach acid.
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Slowing some chronic kidney disease when doctors prescribe it as sodium bicarbonate therapy.
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Boosting high‑intensity exercise performance (efforts under about 12 minutes) in trained adults.
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Modulating inflammation by shifting immune cells toward a more calming pattern in early studies.
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Moderate or limited evidence
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Helping oral health when used as a mouth rinse (swish and spit, not swallow).
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Alkalinizing urine, which may ease burning in some urinary problems alongside standard treatment.
Better on skin than in a glass
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Baking soda baths can help some people with psoriasis or water‑triggered itching.
Claims not well supported
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No good proof that drinking baking soda water causes weight loss, detox, or cancer cure.
Main risks
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High sodium load, which can raise blood pressure or stress the heart and kidneys.
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Electrolyte and pH problems (like metabolic alkalosis) with large or frequent doses.
How Drinking Baking Soda Water Works in Your Body
When you mix baking soda and water, you create a simple sodium bicarbonate drink. Baking soda is an alkaline substance, and the effects of baking soda depend on where buffering happens—in the stomach, blood, urine, or tissues—and how much is consumed. But the way it works depends a lot on where it goes in your body and how much you use.
The Science of Sodium Bicarbonate and pH
To put it simply, acids release hydrogen ions (H⁺), and bases like baking soda grab those ions. Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) from baking soda can bind to extra hydrogen ions to form carbonic acid, which then breaks down into carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water. You breathe out the CO₂, and your body gets a small break from the acid load.
In a glass of water, baking soda gives you a drink with a pH around 8.3–8.5. When you drink a small amount of baking soda, it can help neutralize excess stomach acid and may ease heartburn or sour burps by lowering the acidity in your stomach for a short time. This is why baking soda is often used as a simple antacid for short-term relief, long before modern acid-suppressing drugs existed.
But drinking baking soda does not turn your whole body “alkaline.” Your blood pH is controlled very tightly. If it rises too much, that can be dangerous. Your kidneys, lungs, and blood buffers work together to keep pH in a narrow safe range, no matter what you drink or eat in the short term.
Beyond the Stomach – Kidneys, Spleen, and Muscles
In people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the kidneys often struggle to clear acid from the body. This can lead to a state called metabolic acidosis. Under medical care, sodium bicarbonate drinks or tablets can reduce this acid load. Research shows that for some CKD patients, bicarbonate therapy slows kidney function decline, and suggested that baking soda might also influence immune signaling pathways involved in inflammation.
A striking study from Augusta University found that daily baking soda in water signaled the spleen and kidneys to shift certain immune cells. More of the calming M2 macrophages appeared, while the pro‑inflammatory M1 type decreased. This suggests a possible anti‑inflammatory benefit, though this area is still being studied.
For muscles, extra bicarbonate in the blood can buffer the acid that builds up during hard exercise. When athletes drink enough sodium bicarbonate before short, intense efforts, they often can go a bit longer before they feel that deep muscle burn. This is why sodium bicarbonate supplementation is popular in some sports labs and training programs.
Baking Soda Water vs OTC Antacids
| Aspect | Baking Soda in Water | Typical Over‑the‑Counter Antacid |
| Main action | Neutralizes acid via bicarbonate buffering | Neutralizes acid and/or coats lining |
| Onset of relief | About 5–10 minutes | About 10–20 minutes |
| Cost per dose | Usually under $0.05 | Often $0.50 or more |
| Major concern | High sodium, risk of alkalosis at high doses | Aluminum/Mg content, drug interactions |
Top Science-Backed Health Benefits of Baking Soda Water
You might be wondering, What are the benefits of drinking baking soda water, and which ones actually matter? Let’s walk through the main uses where research is strongest.
Relieves Occasional Acid Reflux and Indigestion
The clearest benefit of baking soda in water is short‑term relief of heartburn and indigestion. When you drink baking soda water, the bicarbonate reacts with stomach acid and helps neutralize excess stomach acid. This can ease burning in your chest, sour taste in your mouth, and pressure in the upper belly. Many medical sites list baking soda as a home antacid for occasional use.
A typical recipe uses about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 4–8 ounces (120–240 ml) of cool water. You stir until it fully dissolves in the glass of water, then sip it slowly over 5–10 minutes. For most healthy adults, this small amount of baking soda may help calm symptoms of reflux when used from time to time.
How much baking soda is safe to drink per day for this purpose? As a general limit, you should not go above about 1½ to 2 teaspoons total in 24 hours without talking to a doctor. Using it every day for weeks is not a good idea, because long‑term use can shift your body’s acid‑base balance and strain your kidneys and heart.
If you have high blood pressure, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, or you’re on a low‑sodium diet, even a teaspoon of baking soda may be too much. In those cases, you should avoid using baking soda for reflux unless your clinician clearly approves it.
Helps Slow Certain Types of Chronic Kidney Disease (With Supervision)
For people with chronic kidney disease, drinking baking soda water is not a casual home remedy. But under medical care, sodium bicarbonate is often part of treatment. Several clinical trials show that correcting metabolic acidosis with bicarbonate can slow CKD progression and delay the need for dialysis. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), metabolic acidosis is a common complication of chronic kidney disease and is associated with faster kidney function decline if left untreated.
In these studies, patients with low blood bicarbonate levels took prescribed doses of sodium bicarbonate, sometimes as tablets and sometimes as baking soda dissolved in water. Doses were tailored based on blood tests, kidney function, and blood pressure. Over months to years, those who received bicarbonate therapy often had slower loss of kidney function than those who did not.
Researchers also found interesting immune changes. In rat models of kidney disease and in healthy people, drinking baking soda water shifted macrophages in the kidneys and spleen from inflammatory M1 to more healing M2 types. This may help explain why correcting acidosis improves many aspects of health in CKD.
The key point: if you have any kidney disease, you should never self‑treat with baking soda in water. Your doctor might prescribe sodium bicarbonate if your labs show acid buildup, but the amount of baking soda you need, if any, must be guided by regular tests and careful monitoring.
Boosts High‑Intensity Exercise Performance
Another common question is whether drinking baking soda benefits sports and workouts. For high‑intensity exercise, the answer is yes, for some people. The effects of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on performance have been tested for decades in sports science.
During very hard efforts, like sprints, rowing pieces, or HIIT intervals that last under about 12 minutes, your muscles produce acid as they break down fuel. This acid contributes to the “burn” that makes you slow down. When you consume baking soda beforehand, blood bicarbonate levels rise, so your body can buffer some of that acid and delay fatigue. Many studies show small but real gains in time to exhaustion and peak power.
Sports‑lab protocols often use 0.2–0.3 grams of sodium bicarbonate per kilogram of body weight, spread over several small doses in the 1–3 hours before exercise. That is much more than a home teaspoon and can easily cause gas, nausea, or diarrhea. On social media, you might see people take about 1 teaspoon in a large glass of water before training. This lower dose may be easier on the stomach, but it is less studied.
Because of the high sodium content and the risk of stomach upset, athletes with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney issues should only use baking soda in training if a sports doctor or dietitian says it is safe.
Modulates Inflammation and Immune Response
A newer and very interesting line of research looks at baking soda water and inflammation. A 2018 study from Augusta University asked healthy adults and rats to drink a sodium bicarbonate solution each day. In both, researchers saw a shift in immune cells called macrophages.
After regular baking soda drinks, more macrophages in the spleen, blood, and kidneys changed from an M1 type (which promotes inflammation) to an M2 type (which helps calm it). The spleen also grew slightly in size, which seemed to reflect an active, but more balanced, immune state rather than damage. In animal models of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, these shifts were linked with milder symptoms.
So does drinking baking soda water help inflammation in daily life? It may, but the data are still early. These trials were small, and long‑term safety of daily use for this purpose is not clear. Right now, sodium bicarbonate should be seen as a possible add‑on in research settings, not a replacement for proven treatments like blood pressure drugs, kidney care, or immune‑modifying medicines.
If you have an inflammatory or autoimmune condition and are curious about this, talk with your specialist before you start. They may prefer other approaches that have stronger safety data.
Supports Oral Health as a Mouth Rinse
Baking soda is a common ingredient in oral care because it is mildly alkaline and has gentle cleaning properties. Here, the best way to use baking soda and water is not by swallowing it, but as a mouthwash.
When sugars and bacteria sit on your teeth, they produce acids that can weaken enamel and lead to cavities. A baking soda rinse can help neutralize these acids. It also has mild antimicrobial effects and can freshen breath. Some people find that a rinse with baking soda in water soothes canker sores and minor mouth irritation.
You can make a simple mouthwash by dissolving ½ teaspoon of baking soda in about ½ cup (120 ml) of water. Swish for 30 seconds, then spit it out. There is no need to swallow it.
It is better not to brush hard with dry baking soda on your teeth every day, because the grit may wear down enamel over time. Instead, use your regular fluoride toothpaste and floss, and keep baking soda as an occasional rinse or as advised by your dentist.
Temporarily Alkalinizes Urine and May Ease Some Urinary Symptoms
Because baking soda is alkaline, drinking a small amount can raise the pH of your urine for a short time. In some cases, this can reduce burning when you pee, especially if your urine is very acidic. Some doctors also use sodium bicarbonate to help certain kidney stone patients, since changing urine pH may make some stones less likely to form.
But there are clear limits here. Baking soda water is not a cure for urinary tract infections (UTIs). If you have burning, frequent urination, or fever, you still need medical care and, often, antibiotics. At most, a bicarbonate drink might slightly ease discomfort while you are on proper treatment.
Home urine pH strips can show that baking soda water may help raise urine pH. But these strips do not tell you whether you have an infection, and making your urine too alkaline can actually favor some types of bacteria or stones. Because of this, you should use baking soda for urinary issues only if a clinician suggests it and tells you how much to use.
General Acid Buffering in High‑Acid Diets
Modern diets that are low in fruits and vegetables and high in animal protein and processed foods tend to create a higher “acid load” for the body. Over many years, this can add strain to the kidneys and bones, especially in people with existing health conditions.
In theory, drinking a small amount of baking soda in water could help buffer some of this diet‑related acid. Research in CKD and in general acid‑base physiology supports the idea that bicarbonate can handle some of the acid burden. However, we do not have large, long‑term clinical trials where healthy people drink baking soda water daily just for “alkaline balance.”
In practice, the healthier way to manage acid load is through diet: more fruits, vegetables, and plant proteins, and fewer ultra‑processed meats and salty snacks. Relying on a daily sodium bicarbonate drink for “alkaline water” is not well studied and may cause harm, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or kidney trouble.
Possible but Not Yet Proven Benefits of Baking Soda in Water
Beyond its potential roles in chronic disease, researchers are also exploring how baking soda water might influence cancer biology and metabolism, though these areas remain early and not yet fully proven.
Cancer Adjunct Therapy – What the Research Actually Says
Some lab and animal studies have looked at whether baking soda could make tumors less acidic. Cancer cells often create an acidic micro‑environment that can weaken immune cells like T‑cells. In mouse models, sodium bicarbonate dissolved in drinking water made the tumor area less acidic and helped immune cells work better, especially in combination with other cancer treatments.
A small human pilot study in patients who had relapsed after bone marrow transplant suggested that bicarbonate water could support T‑cell health without major side effects. But this was a tiny group under close hospital care.
Right now, this research is promising but early. Baking soda water should never replace standard cancer treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy. Any use of sodium bicarbonate in cancer care should happen only in clinical trials or under direct guidance from an oncology team.
“Detox,” Energy, and Metabolic Claims
On social media, people often say that drinking baking soda water will detox your body, give you more energy, or speed up metabolism. These claims sound appealing, but studies do not back them up in a clear way.
Your kidneys and liver already “detox” your body hour by hour. While baking soda can change stomach and urine pH for a short time, it has not been shown to pull toxins out of the body in a special way.
Some people feel better and more energetic when they use baking soda to calm indigestion or correct real acidosis under medical care. But there is no strong proof that drinking baking soda water boosts energy or burns fat in healthy people. No good human trials show that it causes meaningful weight loss on its own.
When Baking Soda Works Better on Your Skin Than in Your Glass
Not all benefits of baking soda relate to drinking it. In fact, some of the strongest evidence for baking soda’s health benefits comes from external uses, especially for skin conditions.
Psoriasis Relief in Alkaline Baths
One study followed 31 people with psoriasis who took baths in water that contained a large amount of baking soda: about 300–500 grams in 85 liters of water, on alternate days for three weeks. Researchers measured psoriasis severity with a standard score (PASI). On average, scores dropped by about 38.9%, from 5.4 to 3.3. About 10.5% of patients had near‑complete clearing, with scores dropping by around 86.6%.
The likely reason is that an alkaline bath can soften thick scales and affect the way skin cells grow and shed. For some people, this may feel soothing and reduce redness and itching. If you want to make a baking soda bath, it is still smart to speak with a dermatologist first, especially if you have open skin or infections.
Aquagenic Pruritus (Water‑Induced Itching)
Aquagenic pruritus is a condition where water contact triggers intense itching without a rash. Case reports show that a few patients felt much better after adding baking soda to bathwater (about 25–200 grams) or using a paste with baking soda on the skin before bathing. The exact mechanism is not clear, but it may relate to how baking soda affects mast cells (immune cells involved in itching) or how water interacts with the skin surface.
The key lesson is that for some skin and itch problems, baking soda in water works better on the outside than by drinking it. If you have long‑lasting itch or rash, always get a proper diagnosis first.
Baking Soda Water Myths: The “6 Health Benefits” Claim Explained
Because baking soda is cheap and easy to find, many claims grow around it. While some of these claims exaggerate its effects, understanding the real benefits of baking soda water can help separate fact from fiction. Let’s clear up some of the big myths.
Myth 1 – Baking Soda Water for Weight Loss
There is no good evidence that drinking a small amount of baking soda in water makes you lose significant weight. Any drop on the scale would likely come from indirect changes, like drinking fewer sugary drinks or feeling less bloated.
Real fat loss still comes from eating patterns, movement, sleep, and other habits. Baking soda mixed with water is not a magic shortcut and can cause harm if overused.
Myth 2 – Cures or Prevents Cancer
Lab and animal studies about tumor acidity are interesting, but they do not mean you can cure or prevent cancer at home with baking soda water. So far, there are no large, controlled human trials showing that self‑dosed sodium bicarbonate drink cures cancer.
Using unproven remedies in place of real treatment can allow cancer to grow. If you or someone you love has cancer, talk to the oncology team before adding any new supplement or “natural” drink.
Myth 3 – “Alkalizes Your Whole Body”
Some wellness posts say that baking soda is an alkaline cure that will make your whole body alkaline and fix many health conditions. In reality, your body keeps your blood pH in a tight range. If it goes too high or too low, you can get very sick.
Drinking baking soda water can slightly raise your blood bicarbonate level for a short time and can change your urine pH more noticeably. But it does not flip your entire body into a permanent “alkaline state,” and trying to push it that way could create serious adverse effects.
Myth 4 – Fixes Vision, Skin, or Hair from the Inside
Some people claim that drinking baking soda water will brighten your eyes, clear your skin, or thicken your hair. There is no strong science to support these ideas. Where baking soda does help skin, it is almost always through direct contact, as in baths or pastes, not by drinking it.
For eye and vision health, you are better served by regular checkups, blood sugar and blood pressure control, and using protective eyewear when needed.
How to Use Baking Soda Water Safely
If you still want to drink baking soda water, safety comes first. You might ask, How much baking soda should I drink in my water, and how often? Let’s break that down.
General Dosage Guidelines for Adults
For healthy adults using baking soda water only for occasional indigestion, a common range is:
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¼–½ teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in 4–8 ounces of clean, filtered water, sipped slowly.
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If needed, you can repeat a similar small dose after at least two hours.
Without medical advice, it is best to stay under about 1½–2 total teaspoons per day and not to use it this way for more than a few days in a row. This helps lower the risk of sodium overload and shifts in blood pH.
Drinking a small amount of baking soda each day “for health” has not been well studied in the general public. So if you feel you need it often, it may be better to see a healthcare provider and look for the root cause of your symptoms.
Popular Wellness Recipes – What’s Actually Reasonable
People often mix baking soda with other simple ingredients. Here are some gentle options that stay within low‑dose ranges.
A basic “alkaline” drink might use ¼–½ teaspoon of baking soda in 8–12 ounces of filtered water. Some people add a squeeze of lemon juice for taste. Even though lemon juice is acidic, your body handles it in a way that does not undo the basic effect of the bicarbonate drink.
A milder exercise‑support drink for adults could be ¼–½ teaspoon of baking soda in 12–16 ounces of water, sometimes with a small spoon of honey and a pinch of salt. This is much lower than the sports‑lab doses. If you try this, start on an easy workout day so you can see how your stomach responds.
For a digestive soother, many people do fine with ¼ teaspoon in 4–6 ounces of water, taken slowly. It is better not to gulp it all at once, because soda mixes with an acid (your stomach acid) to make CO₂ gas, which can cause burping and bloating if it builds up quickly.
Example Recipes and Main Goals
| Recipe | Baking Soda Amount | Main Goal |
| Simple heartburn relief drink | ¼–½ tsp in 4–8 oz water | Neutralize excess stomach acid |
| Gentle “alkaline” daily drink* | ¼ tsp in 8–12 oz water | Taste / mild acid buffering (short term) |
| Mild pre‑workout support drink* | ¼–½ tsp in 12–16 oz | Slight acid buffering for exercise |
| Baking soda mouth rinse (spit out) | ½ tsp in ½ cup water | Oral health support |
*Not recommended as a long‑term daily habit without medical advice.
Timing, Frequency, and Combining with Other Ingredients
Baking soda water is often easier on your stomach when you take it between big meals rather than right after you eat a heavy plate of food and drink a large amount of fluid. Taking it on a completely empty stomach can also feel odd for some people, so you may need to experiment carefully.
It is best not to combine baking soda drinks with other products that also contain sodium bicarbonate, like some “effervescent” antacids, because amounts of baking soda may add up without you noticing.
Mixing baking soda with strong acidic drinks, such as large shots of vinegar or a lot of citrus juice, can cause more fizzing and gas when they meet in your stomach. This is because the soda mixes with an acid to form CO₂. That gas has to go somewhere, so you may feel bloated or very gassy.
Drug Interactions and Special Populations
Because baking soda raises stomach and urine pH, it can change how some medicines dissolve, absorb, or clear from your body. It may alter the effects of aspirin, some antibiotics, certain antifungal drugs, and acid‑suppressing medicines like proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers. If you take daily medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist before adding baking soda drinks.
Some groups should be extra careful or avoid drinking baking soda water unless a clinician clearly tells them to use it:
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People with high blood pressure, heart failure, or a history of swelling (edema), because baking soda is very high in sodium.
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Anyone with chronic kidney disease, unless sodium bicarbonate is prescribed and monitored with lab tests.
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People with liver cirrhosis or serious fluid balance problems.
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Pregnant or breastfeeding people and children, because safety data on regular sodium bicarbonate supplementation are limited.
Is it safe to drink bicarbonate of soda when pregnant? For occasional heartburn in pregnancy, many doctors prefer antacids that are better studied. You should not self‑treat with baking soda water when pregnant or breastfeeding without clear medical guidance.
Side Effects, Risks, and Who Should Avoid It
Even though baking soda is common in kitchens, using it as a regular drink can cause side effects. This is especially true with large or frequent doses.
Common short‑term side effects include bloating, gas, stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. These happen because baking soda reacts with stomach acid to form CO₂ gas, and because the high sodium content can draw water into the gut. If you drink it too fast or use too much baking soda at once, these issues are more likely.
More serious problems can appear when people consume baking soda regularly in high doses. One risk is metabolic alkalosis, a condition where the blood becomes too alkaline. Symptoms can include confusion, tremors, muscle twitching, tingling, and in severe cases, heart rhythm problems. Another risk is electrolyte imbalance, such as low potassium or low calcium, which can also affect muscles and the heart. For people who already need to watch sodium intake or kidney load, starting with low-TDS, well-filtered water can help limit additional mineral and sodium exposure from the water itself. In such cases, a reverse osmosis filter system is often used to reduce dissolved solids and provide a more controlled baseline for drinking water.
A single teaspoon of baking soda contains about 1,200 mg of sodium, which is roughly half or more of the recommended daily limit for many adults. For someone with high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease, this extra sodium can raise blood pressure, cause fluid retention, and strain the heart and kidneys.
Recommended Maximum Use by Group
| Group | Suggested Max Use (Self‑Care) | Notes |
| Healthy adults | ½–1 tsp/day, short term only | For occasional reflux; not a daily habit |
| High BP / heart disease | Avoid unless doctor approves | High sodium content is a key concern |
| CKD (any stage) | Only if prescribed by nephrologist | Requires frequent lab monitoring |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding | Avoid self‑treatment | Limited safety data |
| Children | Only under pediatric guidance | Higher risk of overdose and imbalance |
If you ever feel weak, confused, very short of breath, or have chest pain after taking baking soda, seek urgent medical help.
Evidence Snapshot – Key Studies on Baking Soda Water
To understand the real health benefits of baking soda, it helps to look at where the science stands.
Landmark and Recent Research
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Immune and Inflammation Study (Augusta University, 2018) Healthy adults and rats drank a daily sodium bicarbonate solution. Researchers saw a shift in macrophages from inflammatory M1 to calming M2 in the spleen, kidneys, and blood. The spleen became slightly larger, which matched a more active but less inflammatory state.
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Chronic Kidney Disease Trials Several clinical studies in CKD stages 3–5 showed that patients with metabolic acidosis who took sodium bicarbonate had slower kidney function decline and reduced risk of reaching dialysis. They also had fewer problems linked to chronic acidosis, such as bone and muscle loss.
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Exercise Performance Studies Meta‑analyses of athletes show that sodium bicarbonate supplementation can improve performance in high‑intensity exercise bouts under about 12 minutes, especially in repeated sprint and rowing tests. Gains are usually modest but meaningful for trained competitors.
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Cancer Adjunct Pilot In animals, bicarbonate water reduced tumor acidity and improved T‑cell activity. In a small group of human transplant patients, sodium bicarbonate seemed to support T‑cell function without clear extra side effects, but this was very early and tightly controlled research.
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Psoriasis and Skin Studies Clinical work on baking soda baths for psoriasis showed notable drops in PASI scores with good tolerance. Case reports also support baking soda baths or pastes for aquagenic pruritus.
Limitations and Knowledge Gaps
Even with these studies, many questions stay open. There are few long‑term trials where otherwise healthy people drink baking soda water daily just for general wellness. We lack strong data on long‑term use in children, older adults, and pregnant people. Interactions with multiple medications taken together are also not fully mapped out.
Because of these gaps, most experts suggest treating baking soda water as a short‑term tool or a prescribed therapy for specific health conditions, rather than a daily “longevity drink.”
Key Takeaways – Should You Use Baking Soda Water?
Baking soda is a common pantry item with numerous health benefits when used correctly, but it is not a cure-all. The real benefits of baking soda water come from its ability to neutralize excess stomach acid when used wisely, and a small dose of baking soda dissolved in water can relieve occasional heartburn and indigestion. Under medical care, sodium bicarbonate therapy can slow some types of chronic kidney disease and may have useful anti-inflammatory effects. In trained adults, careful pre-workout use can also boost short, high-intensity exercise performance.
At the same time, baking soda water’s high sodium content, possible electrolyte shifts, and pH changes mean it is not a harmless “drink it all the time” remedy. It does not reliably cause weight loss, detox your body, or cure cancer.
For most people, the safest path is occasional, low-dose use for specific symptoms. So, is baking soda is good for health? The answer depends on how it is used. Paired with attention to diet, movement, and other habits, occasional baking soda use may support health and well-being, but water can be a valuable tool only when used wisely. If you have kidney, heart, blood pressure, liver, or serious chronic conditions—or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or giving it to a child—talk with your healthcare provider before you drink baking soda water.
FAQs About the Benefits of Baking Soda Water
1. What are the benefits of drinking baking soda water?
Many people wonder, is drinking baking soda water good for you? Research shows it can offer several benefits. It can give quick relief for heartburn and indigestion by neutralizing excess stomach acid. For people with chronic kidney disease, under medical supervision, it may help slow the progression of kidney problems by balancing acid in the body. Some athletes use it to slightly boost short bursts of high-intensity exercise because the extra bicarbonate helps buffer muscle acid. Early research also suggests it may gently reduce inflammation by nudging the immune system toward a calmer state. These benefits are real, but they work best with the right dose and context.
2. How much baking soda is safe to drink per day?
For most healthy adults, moderation is key. A common guideline is to stay under about 1½ to 2 teaspoons total per day, and only for short-term use. Many people do well with just ¼ to ½ teaspoon dissolved in a glass of water whenever they have occasional heartburn. Taking more than this, especially daily, can shift your body’s acid-base balance and put stress on your kidneys and heart due to the sodium content. Small doses for short periods are safest, and you should always avoid self-treating chronic issues without a doctor’s guidance.
3. Does drinking baking soda water help inflammation?
Some early studies suggest that drinking a sodium bicarbonate solution daily can influence immune cells to reduce inflammation. Certain immune cells shift toward a calmer, less inflammatory type, which could be beneficial for some conditions. However, these studies are small and mostly short-term, so the long-term safety for regular use in healthy adults isn’t well known. While this research is promising, baking soda water shouldn’t replace proven anti-inflammatory strategies like proper diet, exercise, or medications. It may be a helpful add-on in controlled situations but not a standalone solution.
4. Is it safe to drink bicarbonate of soda when pregnant?
Pregnant people should be cautious. Even though baking soda water can ease occasional heartburn, it hasn’t been well studied in pregnancy, and the high sodium content can be risky. There are safer, well-researched antacids that doctors usually recommend for pregnant women. Drinking baking soda water without guidance could lead to fluid retention, electrolyte imbalances, or other complications. So it’s best to check with your healthcare provider before using it while pregnant or breastfeeding, rather than experimenting at home, even occasionally.
5. How much baking soda should I drink in my water?
For occasional heartburn or minor indigestion, about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 4–8 ounces of water is usually enough. Sip it slowly rather than gulping to avoid gas and bloating. You can repeat the dose after a couple of hours if needed, but the total shouldn’t exceed 1½–2 teaspoons in a day without medical supervision. Higher amounts can create digestive discomfort and may disturb your electrolyte and pH balance. Remember, baking soda water is a temporary remedy, not a daily health routine unless prescribed by a doctor.
6. What happens when we mix baking soda with water?
When baking soda is stirred into water, it dissolves to form a mild alkaline solution called sodium bicarbonate. This solution reacts with acids, including stomach acid, producing carbon dioxide gas—so you might burp—plus water and salts that help neutralize excess stomach acid. This chemical reaction is why baking soda water works as a quick home remedy for heartburn. Essentially, it gives your stomach a short-term buffer to calm acidity and reduce that burning or sour feeling. However, it doesn’t change your whole body’s pH and should be used in moderation.
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