Baking soda is used in a wide range of applications, including “food” 、“bath salts”.As a matter of fact, it is also used in pharmaceuticals and medical settings!
Question1What kind of pharmaceuticals is it used in?
Baking soda is used in a variety of pharmaceuticals, including as an additive in gout medication and eyewash solutions, but the oldest and most widely used application is as a stomach medicine.
When food enters the stomach, it secretes highly acidic gastric juice to digest the food. If the body is functioning normally, the natural human function of protecting the stomach from gastric juice works, but if for some reason this function does not work, the gastric juice causes inflammation in the stomach, leading to gastritis.
Taking stomach medicine has the effect of neutralizing the acidity of the gastric juice and alleviating the inflammation.
AGC's baking soda is used in many of the stomach medicines sold over the counter in Japan.
Question2When is it used in the medical field？
Medical-grade baking soda is most commonly used in dialysis solutions.
Patients with kidney failure or other kidney diseases lose the ability to remove impurities from the blood in their bodies. For this reason, it is necessary to remove the blood from the body using specialized medical equipment, filter out the impurities in clean water (dialysis fluid), and return the water to the body. Baking soda is used in this dialysis fluid.
The water introduced into the body needs to have a pH*, osmotic pressure, and composition close to that of bodily fluids, and using baking soda allows for the creation of water similar to bodily fluids.
*pH... This indicates the strength of acidity or alkalinity. pH 0 is the strongest acidity, and pH 14 is the strongest alkalinity. The pH of human blood is approximately 7.4, and sodium bicarbonate has a pH of 8.5.
Question3Why is baking soda used in pharmaceuticals and medical settings?
Baking soda is mildly alkaline and is known as a natural component of hot springs, making it a highly safe substance.
Its gentle and safe properties also make it suitable for use as a food additive, which is why it is also used in medical applications.
AGC has been the largest manufacturer of sodium bicarbonate in Japan for over 100 years. We will continue to provide safe and reliable baking soda to everyone!
