Your body carefully regulates the balance between acidic and alkaline chemicals in your body, because an imbalance between these substances can result in your proteins and cells not working properly. Despite this regulation, sometimes parts of your body, such as your stomach, blood and urine, can become too acidic. If this happens, you may need to take steps to alkalize these portions of the body. One way in which you can do this is by taking sodium bicarbonate, which is also known as bicarbonate of soda.
Step 1
Dissolve the sodium bicarbonate into a glass of water. This step is needed because dissolving the tablets or powder will make it easier for you to swallow the material, as the powder itself can be bitter. MedlinePlus recommends dissolving sodium bicarbonate in a minimum of 4 oz. of water.
Step 2
Use the dose appropriate for your health problem. If you are taking sodium bicarbonate to treat acidic blood, to alkalize your urine or to treat heartburn, use between 325 and 2,000 mg of sodium bicarbonate one to four times per day, Drugs.com reports. For treating indigestion or sour stomach, the Mayo Clinic website states that you should take a half teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate every two hours.
Step 3
Avoid taking other medications along with sodium bicarbonate. Do not take other medications within a one-to-two-hour time window either before or after taking sodium bicarbonate. Some medications need the acidic environment of the stomach to be properly absorbed, and taking sodium bicarbonate along with these medications could interfere with the amount that gets into your blood.
Step 4
Get your sodium levels and your blood pressure checked regularly. Sodium bicarbonate contains a lot of sodium, which can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly if you take sodium bicarbonate often.
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