That box of baking soda sitting in your fridge can do more than just whiten your teeth

Photo by John Fornander/Unsplash

Apart from supplements claiming to reduce muscle soreness, there’s a cheaper and possibly more effective way to ease pain: baking soda.

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is often used for baking or killing bad odor inside the house. However, research shows that it could also be effective in treating soreness and inflammation in the body. So how exactly does baking soda help ease the pain?

When your body is undergoing stress or physical activity, it produces lactic acid, which increases the level of acidity in your muscles and blood vessels. But when you drink water mixed with baking soda, an alkaline solution is created that can help lower the body’s acidity level and lure out the lactic acid from muscle cells. In addition, if you take baking soda before working out, lactic acid buildup may take longer than usual, which can boost overall performance.

Endurance athletes such as sprinters, swimmers, and triathletes have been known to use baking soda as a solution for muscle pain. But while it has already been proven to help ease muscle soreness, research says there is still potential for negative side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain, so it’s best to ask a doctor first if it is a good alternative treatment.

Always remember that the amount you consume is based on age and that it is just a short-term relief rather than a long-term solution for muscle pain. The general recommended intake of baking soda for adults is about 200 to 300 mg per kilogram of body weight mixed with one liter of water. To avoid side effects, sip it slowly and drink every two hours.