Sodium Bicarbonate Uses Sodium Bicarbonate is used to relieve indigestion. It serves as an alkalinizing agent in the treatment of metabolic acidosis, severe diarrhea, acidity, and poisoning.
How Sodium Bicarbonate works Sodium Bicarbonate is an alkalizing agent. It functions by increasing the pH of blood and urine, thereby correcting metabolic acidosis, which is characterized by high acid levels in the body. Additionally, it accelerates the elimination of toxic substances from the body in cases of certain types of poisoning. In situations involving excessive fluid loss, such as diarrhea, it helps replenish salt and electrolyte levels.
Common side effects of sodium bicarbonate include flatulence, abdominal pain, increased sodium levels in the blood, injection site reactions (pain, swelling, redness), lactic acidosis, metabolic alkalosis, peripheral edema, seizures, tetany, and tremors.