Baking Soda: For Cooking, Cleaning, And Kidney Health?

SciencyDaily ^ | July 17, 2009 | Source: American Society of Nephrology

[ConservativeMind]

A daily dose of sodium bicarbonate—baking soda, already used for baking, cleaning, acid indigestion, sunburn, and more—slows the decline of kidney function in some patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), reports an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). "This cheap and simple strategy also improves patients' nutritional status, and has the potential of translating into significant economic, quality of life, and clinical outcome benefits," comments Magdi Yaqoob, MD (Royal London Hospital).

The study included 134 patients with advanced CKD and low bicarbonate levels, also called metabolic acidosis. One group received a small daily dose of sodium bicarbonate in tablet form, in addition to their usual care. For this group, the rate of decline in kidney function was greatly reduced—about two-thirds slower than in patients. "In fact, in patients taking sodium bicarbonate, the rate of decline in kidney function was similar to the normal age-related decline," says Yaqoob.

Rapid progression of kidney disease occurred in just nine percent of patients taking sodium bicarbonate, compared to 45 percent of the other group. Patients taking sodium bicarbonate were also less likely to develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis.

Patients taking sodium bicarbonate also had improvement in several measures of nutrition. Although their sodium levels went up, this didn't lead to any problems with increased blood pressure.

Low bicarbonate levels are common in patients with CKD and can lead to a wide range of other problems. "This is the first randomized controlled study of its kind," says Yaqoob. "A simple remedy like sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), when used appropriately, can be very effective."

[pigsmith]

Bfl

[WASCWatch]

All municipal tap water needs to go through a high quality filter before using for drinking and cooking.

[Mears]

“All municipal tap water needs to go through a high quality filter before using for drinking and cooking.”

-

Nonsense,I have always had great municipal water.

.

[Windflier]

I have never heard of a single American having a sodium deficiency

Ever seen someone who's been overcome by heat sickness? Common symptoms are: extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, cold chills, vertigo or dizziness, nausea, headache, and fainting.

All of those symptoms are caused by a lack of sufficient sodium in the body, while under heat stress. I know them well, having worked outdoors as a tradesman for the last forty years.

I suffered the ill effects of heat sickness for about ten years, until I happened to visit with a nutritionist, who educated me on the root cause of those difficulties.

Essentially, the body loses minerals through the pores when we sweat; but it's the loss of the mineral, sodium, that brings on the symptoms of heat sickness. Simply replacing that lost sodium with sea salt tablets cures heat sickness within minutes.

Since discovering this simple cure, I've always kept a large bottle of sea salt tablets on my truck, and have made sure that my employees take them daily, during the hot months. About 500 milligrams per 25 pounds of body weight (per day) is best.

It goes without saying, that you should consume lots of water, too.

Being acutely aware of this phenomebon, I've noticed over the decades that most people exhibit one or more symptoms of heat sickness, even when under mild conditions of heat and physical exertion. I can't help but conclude, from that simple observation, that most Americans are chronically deficient in sodium.

[Mears]

“All of those symptoms are caused by a lack of sufficient sodium in the body, while under heat stress.”

—

Isn’t that why they have salt licks for animals?

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[logi_cal869]

Aside from my segue analyzing the governmental causes of both the Flint and DC Water Crises, I dedicate approximately 150 pages ONLY to drinking water with many references.

You are half right, probably for reasons upon which you don’t elaborate but knowledgeable.

For others:

The term “purified water” is used prolifically to assuage public concerns about the source. Purified water is always filtered municipal tap water. Unfortunately, many contaminants cannot be removed 100% even by reverse osmosis.

The public has been hoodwinked and we are, in-part, dependent upon our doctors as a result.

One citation to get you started (there is no one source I ever located on drinking water, hence what was a chapter became its own book):

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talks-tapped-out/

Other key terms: Fluoride, Chloramine, Chromium & Flocculation.

One final note: Considering how much money people justify for the adverse effects of our Western lifestyle (healthcare), how is it that Americans justify spending $10/day on caffeine drinks yet cannot qualify a quality water filtration system in their home or a mere $1.50/gallon for spring water (depending on your market) to serve drinking & cooking needs? It’s the worst form of hypocrisy.

[WASCWatch]

You are correct. There are cities that have great water for drinking without further filtering.

Portland, OR is one. I’ve also read that New Your City has great water for drinking because their source is an aquifer that is VERY deep below the surface.

[Publius]

New York City’s water source is a series of reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains.

[Pelham]

Your body tries to maintain blood pH within a very tight parameter. 7.35 to 7.45. A variety of metabolic processes depend upon that.

If you get outside of that range you can develop acidosis or alkalosis, neither of which are good.

Some advanced chronic kidney disease can cause metabolic acidosis and may benefit from sodium bicarbonate, but if you have that level of disease you better not be self medicating or you won’t be around for long.

People with high blood pressure or nephrotic syndrome kidney disease should be limiting their sodium intake and that includes avoiding sodium bicarbonate.

[Pelham]

I know those heat exhaustion symptoms all too well myself. We also sweat out potassium and magnesium in addition to the sodium. Sodium can aggravate high blood pressure, which typically has no symptoms. And the sodium to potassium ratio itself is critical for cardiovascular health. Since you’re taking salt pills make sure that you keep a daily record of your blood pressure, you don’t want to have unnoticed hypertension. And if you get a yearly physical make sure that the blood test includes potassium and sodium levels.

[Windflier]

Since you’re taking salt pills make sure that you keep a daily record of your blood pressure, you don’t want to have unnoticed hypertension

i don't take sea salt every day. If I'm in a sedentary period, I take once or twice a week. When I worked in the sun all day, I took it daily.

I've never taken more salt than what I need to replace lost sodium.

You're correct about the potassium and magnesium. I make sure to take them, too.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Good point. I just meant that sodium is not a deficiency in any American’s diet. There are many people with various nutrition deficiencies, but sodim is so abundant and often unavoidable in our processed foods that dietary sodium deficiency is unheard of. Sure, environmental factors can create a temporary deficiency of sodium in a given person, but it is not as if an American doctor had to tell a patient, “you need to eat more sodium”. It is everywhere in a common diet, to excess.