What Is In Sodium Citrate?

Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid. Manufacturers commonly use this substance as a food additive or preservative or to add flavor to packaged foods and beverages. Sodium citrate is also a sour salt that has both a sour and a salty taste. The Food and Drug Administration has approved sodium citrate as a general purpose food additive. You can also find sodium citrate in supplement form. However, you should only take a sodium citrate salt after consulting with a medical professional.

Functions

Manufacturers commonly use sodium citrate to give lemon-lime soft drinks and club soda a salty or sour flavor. Additionally, manufacturers use this substance to control acidity in food products. Doctors sometimes prescribe sodium citrate to treat cystitis, a bacterial condition that causes inflammation of your bladder. The bacterium causes the environment in your urinary tract to become acidic, resulting in painful urination. Sodium citrate helps to neutralize that acid.

Acidic Urine

Sodium citrate acts as an alkaline source in your body; as a supplement, this sodium salt can help restore your body's pH levels. The normal pH level of urine ranges from 4 to 8. A pH level below 4 indicates a high level of acid in your urine. A medical professional can test your urine pH level with a simple urinalysis test. To increase acidic urine's pH level, doctors commonly recommend sodium citrate supplements.

Process

After taking sodium citrate, this substance moves through your body until it reaches your liver, which converts the sodium salt into bicarbonate. Bicarbonate is the usable form of base that can help restore your body's pH balance. In addition, the citrate in this salt binds with acidic materials in your kidneys and can help prevent the formation of calcium foxalate stones.

Considerations

When suffering from certain medical conditions, you should not consume sodium citrate. Individuals on a sodium-restricted diet or individuals with hyperkalemia should not consume sodium citrate supplements. Additionally, sodium citrate can reduce the potassium levels in your body, potentially causing dizziness, weakness and numbness. Other common side effects of sodium citrate are gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, gas or bloating.