Gout and Baking Soda, Does It Work?
If you suffer from gout, baking soda might just be one of the natural remedies that can help you. It helps increases the body’s pH level making the uric acid more soluble so that it can easily be flushed out by the kidneys.
As a result, the body restores its natural alkaline balance allowing the blood to hold more uric acid without crystallizing. It not only helps lessen gout attacks but it also minimizes the work the kidney needs to do since uric acid is more readily excreted.
Where Did Baking Soda as a Treatment Come From?
Baking soda as a gout treatment is not new. It goes way back in the 19th century. A British man, Alfred Garrod, was a practicing gout doctor who ended his career being the physician to Queen Victoria. He wrote the book The Nature and Treatment of Gout and Rheumatic Gout.
In it, he explains that gout attacks are caused by acidic conditions of the blood. By putting the blood in an alkaline state, uric acid is diluted in the urine making it easy to be excreted by the kidneys.
How to Use Baking Soda as Remedy for Gout
- Add half a teaspoon of it into an 8 oz. glass of water and drink it. Do this four times a day, with one of them taken at night before bedtime, when most gout attacks are likely to occur.
- Mix baking soda water with lemon juice. Lemon is very high in vitamin C which aids in the excretion of uric acid. Just add about 2 ounces of fresh lemon juice, stir, and let it sit for 3 minutes. Drink this mix at least 2 to 3 times every day. If half a teaspoon is too much, consider lowering the dosage to just a quarter of a teaspoon.
- Add apple cider vinegar to baking soda water. It does a similar job as baking soda as it breaks up and prevents uric acid crystals from forming. It also reduces joint inflammation and swelling allowing you to enjoy better flexibility. Taking apple cider vinegar alone can be harsh for your throat and teeth so adding baking soda water is a great idea. It neutralizes the acid from the ACV to about 7pH so it’s smoother for your throat when you drink it and it doesn’t damage your tooth enamel.
Don’t take baking soda paste in an attempt to expedite its effects. It is always better to drink baking soda diluted in water throughout the day so you can track how much you are consuming.
Make sure not to confuse baking soda with baking powder. Both have different purposes, and only baking soda should be used to treat and prevent gout.
Can I Take Baking Soda in Pill or Tablet Form?
Certain drugs contain the same active ingredient as baking soda does but one can enjoy equally safe benefits from taking food grade baking soda.
Can Baking Soda Help Relieve Pain During a Gout Attack?
Yes. Baking soda helps prevent more crystals from forming and eliminates uric acid that’s contributing to the inflammation.
Make sure to consult with your doctor before using baking soda as a remedy for your gout. Everyone is different and what works for others may not do well for you.
Baking soda could potentially cause side effects if taken along with your prescription drugs. It can also potentially result in increased blood pressure, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, and vomiting. If you have a pre-existing condition in the heart, kidney, or liver, it is not recommended that you take baking soda.
If you’re taking it for that day, make sure that you reduce your salt intake. No matter how good it is for gout, you need to remember that baking soda is high in sodium. Too much of it can result in mouth burn and stomach rupture.
Taking in sodium frequently in high doses could also result in alkalosis. This is when the pH of your tissues is elevated. Check your local supermarket for sodium-free baking soda options.
Baking Soda and Diet
The bigger, often overlooked picture for managing gout is diet. Baking soda mainly alkalizes the body but you can help improve its function by changing your diet. This means avoiding foods that are too acidic and eating more of alkalizing foods.
Sadly, the modern standard diet does not help with this at all. Most of our food today is laced with high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. These foods make the body more acidic which contribute to chronic pain and weak bones. It’s also the culprit behind the development of certain kidney stones.
If you want to heal from your gout, you should try to maintain a food balance of 80 percent alkaline and 20 percent acidic. Most gout sufferers find a 70/30 ratio to be more realistic since the body is pretty much healthy in this state.
Here are some ideas to help you reduce your acid intake:
- Replace soft drinks with alkaline water
- Instead of coffee, drink a refreshing green smoothie
- Replace artificial sweeteners with natural sweeteners like stevia, maple syrup, or raw honey
- Avoid processed foods and opt for unprocessed whole foods
Going back to the doctor who discovered baking soda as treatment. Sir Alfred only used bicarbonate soda to treat some of his gout patients but he later learned that he didn’t have to. Not because of the sodium but because he thought there were other better alkalizing agents than baking soda.
The Bottom Line
Gout can be an incapacitating condition. You’ll do anything just to get rid of the pain. You’re either suffering from an excruciating attack or hoping that it won’t catch you in the middle of the night.
By taking baking soda, you help treat and prevent gout attacks from happening. Make sure to accompany it with a healthy balanced diet that promotes alkalinity so you can thoroughly enjoy its benefits.