Sodium bicarbonate as an anti-inflammatory

[SusanJ]

I've been finding more and more recommendations to take a mix of sodium and potassium bicarbonate if one gets a histamine reaction. Here's some research that shows how sodium bicarbonate might tell the body to stand down from an immune response. Interesting stuff...

They have shown that when rats or healthy people drink a solution of baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, it becomes a trigger for the stomach to make more acid to digest the next meal and for little-studied mesothelial cells sitting on the spleen to tell the fist-sized organ that there's no need to mount a protective immune response.

"It's most likely a hamburger not a bacterial infection," is basically the message, says Dr. Paul O'Connor, renal physiologist in the MCG Department of Physiology at Augusta University and the study's corresponding author.

Mesothelial cells line body cavities, like the one that contains our digestive tract, and they also cover the exterior of our organs to quite literally keep them from rubbing together. About a decade ago, it was found that these cells also provide another level of protection. They have little fingers, called microvilli, that sense the environment, and warn the organs they cover that there is an invader and an immune response is needed.

Drinking baking soda, the MCG scientists think, tells the spleen -- which is part of the immune system, acts like a big blood filter and is where some white blood cells, like macrophages, are stored -- to go easy on the immune response. "Certainly drinking bicarbonate affects the spleen and we think it's through the mesothelial cells," O'Connor says.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 093745.htm

[chrissyr]

That is interesting Susan, have you tried it, and if so how did you make it palatable?

[SusanJ]

First time I tried it was with Seeking Health's Optimal Electrolytes, which has some type of natural flavoring and other ingredients like niacin and taurine. I've just now bought their capsules of just potassium and sodium bicarbonate, so haven't tried them yet. And yes, when I started getting a histamine headache or other symptom from eating, it helped. Worked better than Vitamin C, which also helps, but for me, not quite as good.

[chrissyr]

Great thanks! I didn't know about the vitamin C either. i need to read through the histamine thread.