Baking Soda for Autoimmune Disease and Chronic Inflammation
A Daily Dose of Baking Soda Can Treat Autoimmune Disease, Study Finds
Baking soda, a common ingredient that is found in your kitchen cupboards, could be the answer to treat autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Sjogrens Syndrome, and others. Recent research discovered baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate) created an anti-inflammatory environment within the spleen. This suggests that drinking it regularly can help reduce inflammation that can cause autoimmune conditions (when the immune system attack healthy cells of the body).

Baking soda can reduce the spleen's inflammatory immune response
Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University found that when healthy persons consumed baking soda solutions (water and sodium bicarbonate) for two weeks, it caused the stomachs to produce additional acid. This in turn helped them absorb their next food intake. Scientists also observed another effect - the baking powder seemed to signal to the mesothelial cells of the spleen (cells that protect organs by providing a slippery, protective surface layer) that the spleen then did not need to undergo the reaction response.
Mesothelial cells stop your organs from rubbing against one another. Otherwise rubbing could cause inflammation, and consequently the immune system would to react to what it thinks is a perceived foreign substance or invader in the body, in this case an organ. Autoimmune disease would then trigger your immune cells to attack this organ as a foreign object. Drinking baking soda aids mesothelial cells communicates to your spleen to reduce an immune response, preventing the confusion that can lead to autoimmune conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and many more with co-infections such as EBV and Lyme Disease.
Consuming baking soda can also change concentration of macrophages -- the white blood cells that make up the immune system and consume foreign invaders -- making the cells generally less inflammatory also. The anti-inflammatory effects are also showing up in places such as the kidneys and the blood.
Other immune cells can also have changes due to drinking baking soda . There was a noticeable increase in T cells within the body, which helps decrease immune response and shield your immune system against self-attack. These changes lasted for 4 hours in humans consuming baking soda and even 3 days in rats consuming baking soda.
Although the participants in the study were healthy, baking soda can still produce comparable results for those suffering from autoimmune disorders. Baking soda is a potentially a safe way to treat inflammatory disease.
How to drink baking soda to boost your health or reduce autoimmune type inflammation.
Here are some suggestions for incorporating this easy and inexpensive hack into your routine:
Baking soda if best done on an empty stomach, but shouldn't be taken at the beginning of the day. If you take baking soda along with food, protein molecules that are not digested can leak into your gut. Try to take it at midday -- about an hour before or after lunch or dinner
Start by taking 1/8 teaspoon, and gradually work up to 1/4 teaspoon. If you get short of breath or feel your heart is racing when you drink baking soda you've taken too much for you and should cut the dose in half. Be aware that if your blood is already alkaline and you over consume a large amount of baking soda it could cause dangerous adverse effects, including hyper-alkalosis in a rare case heart attacks.
Understanding your sodium levels at the beginning. If you have experienced irregular heartbeats, or noticed any other potential cardiac symptoms prior to starting baking soda-based regimens, then it is recommended to seek out a doctor to check the levels of sodium before beginning baking soda consumption. Your sodium levels could be too high or low to begin with. Often people are low in magnesium and potassium and high in sodium, so it is best to see your family doctor to have your electrolyte levels measured. Ideally, your potassium, magnesium, and sodium levels should be balanced as they work together to regulate your daily 24 hour circadian rhythm.
Note: For those who are taking thyroid medications: If you're taking supplements or thyroid medications it is possible that you won't absorb some medicines as well. Unless your supplements require acidity to work, then they should be fine along with baking soda.
Other Alternatives: Because most people already have high levels of sodium in their bodies, a second alternative is to utilize potassium bicarbonate rather than baking soda. Or you can take a little of both of these, but you shouldn't exceed a 1/4 teaspoon in total. A local health food store near you can guide you to a quality potassium bicarbonate and baking soda supplements.
Reference
[1] http://www.jimmunol.org/content/200/10/3568




