Is Baking Soda Good for Diabetes?

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a well-known home remedy for brightening teeth, improving breath, easing canker sores, and other uses. But how does baking soda relate to diabetes?

There’s limited research on the overall impact of baking soda for people with diabetes. Still, animal studies have suggested it might play a role in preventing a fungal infection called mucormycosis, which can occur in individuals experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Continue reading to learn more about DKA, mucormycosis, and the possible role of baking soda.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious diabetic complication that arises when your body produces excessive amounts of acidic ketones.

DKA may develop when your body isn’t making enough insulin. Without adequate insulin to move glucose (sugar) into cells for energy, the body turns to fat stores as an alternative fuel source.

As fat is broken down, ketones accumulate in the bloodstream. If left untreated, this buildup can progress to full DKA.

Symptoms of DKA can come on rapidly and may include:

• extreme thirst
• vomiting
• nausea
• frequent urination
• difficulty breathing
• dry mouth
• confusion
• weakness

You can also detect early DKA by testing blood sugar and urine ketones at home using appropriate kits. If you obtain very high blood sugar readings or detect elevated ketones in your urine, seek medical help right away. Untreated DKA can be life-threatening.

Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is an uncommon but potentially deadly fungal disease caused by molds in the mucormycetes family. It mainly affects people with weakened immune systems and frequently involves the sinuses or lungs.

Signs of mucormycosis may include:

• blistering
• blackened patches of skin
• swelling, tenderness, or redness

People undergoing DKA have a higher likelihood of developing mucormycosis compared with those who do not have DKA.

Baking soda and mucormycosis

While sodium bicarbonate can influence blood pH, most research connecting baking soda to diabetes has centered on its potential effects related to DKA and mucormycosis.

A 2016 mouse study investigated whether baking soda could be useful in managing mucormycosis. The researchers observed that DKA might accelerate the infection, and they proposed that sodium bicarbonate together with iron chelation could serve as a preventive approach.

More clinical studies involving humans are necessary to determine whether sodium bicarbonate can be used safely and effectively to prevent or treat mucormycosis in people.

If you’re curious about other home remedies that affect body pH or skin conditions, you might also find a baking soda bath topic of interest.

Treatment for mucormycosis

Managing mucormycosis typically begins with intravenous antifungal therapy such as amphotericin B. In many cases, surgical excision of infected tissue is also required to stop the infection from progressing.

If surgery and IV antifungal treatment are effective, doctors may transition patients to oral antifungal agents like posaconazole or isavuconazole for continued therapy.

Takeaway

There’s a scarcity of current human research on the effects of baking soda for people with diabetes.

Animal studies indicate that baking soda might help reduce the risk of mucormycosis, a fungal infection associated with DKA, but evidence is far from conclusive and does not support self-treating mucormycosis with baking soda.

Mucormycosis requires medical care—antifungal drugs and often surgery. DKA is a medical emergency that also needs prompt professional treatment.

If you don’t have DKA and are considering baking soda as an adjunctive measure, discuss it with your healthcare provider to determine whether it’s appropriate and safe for you.