Oral Use of Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate is the scientific name for banking soda and is found as the active ingredient in some over-the-counter medications. Doctors sometimes recommend these oral sodium bicarbonate products for the treatment of stomach discomfort.

Function

• Sodium bicarbonate works by neutralizing acid in your stomach that can irritate your digestive tract. Sodium bicarbonate is one of the strongest and fastest-acting antacid products available, according to the Merck Medical Manual.

Uses

• Uses for oral medications containing sodium bicarbonate include the treatment of heartburn, sour stomach or acid indigestion. The Merck Medical Manual notes that doctors also recommend sodium bicarbonate for the relief of pain due to stomach ulcers.

Types

• Manufacturers produce sodium bicarbonate for oral use in a number of forms, including tablets, capsules, liquid solution and granules or powder added to water.

Time Frame

• Sodium bicarbonate has the potential to change the chemistry of your blood with continual use, causing nausea, headaches and weakness. Because of this, sodium bicarbonate is generally not safe for use for more than a few days, according to the Merck Medical Manual.

Considerations

• Because its effects upon fetal development are unknown, doctors restrict the use of sodium bicarbonate as an oral medication in women who are pregnant to instances when there is no safe alternative to treatment. If you have a history of appendicitis, rectal bleeding, edema, heart disease, hypertension, kidney or liver disease or toxemia, it may not be safe for you to use sodium bicarbonate, and antacids containing the substance are not safe for use in any children under 6 years of age, according to the Mayo Clinic.