What are the benefits of baking soda for muscle cramps? How to use it for great effectiveness? How does it work? And finally what are the other natural remedies to cure muscle cramps?
I. Brief Reminder on Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps are painful and involuntary muscle contractions. The muscle feels tetanized, paralyzed.
This unpleasant phenomenon can occur day or night, during exercise or at rest.
It is difficult to establish a real cause for muscle cramps. Hydration, or rather its insufficiency would be an aggravating factor.
Dehydration is therefore one of the causes of cramps. The lack of liquid makes the nerve endings more sensitive, and thus causes painful contractions.
But it’s not just hydration that’s to blame. You can also get cramps from mineral deficiency.
Taking certain medications, especially diuretics, can also cause cramps.
II. Lactic Acid and Baking Soda
Baking soda is recognized not only as a reducer of gastric acidity but also of acidity caused by an excess of lactic acid, which is mostly found in sportsmen.
It should be noted that a lack of baking soda leads to osteoporosis and muscle wasting.
In concrete terms, baking soda helps to reduce muscular pain due to its absorption qualities.
III. Baking Soda for Muscle Cramps
1. Benefits of Baking Soda for Muscle Cramps
Baking soda is a household product, which is full of benefits for human health.
In the case of muscle cramps, the actions of baking soda are numerous.
First, this product is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. This means that it attenuates and reduces painful sensations.
Cramps are particularly physically demanding; the action of baking soda is a plus to get rid of them.
Because it has alkaline properties, baking soda is also ideal for cramps related to mineral deficiencies.
Muscle cramps are often caused by physical exercise combined with a lack of hydration.
This results in muscle acidity, which causes muscle cramps.
Baking soda has the property to regulate the acidity of an environment. An ideal asset to prevent muscle cramps.
2. Baking Soda for Leg Cramps
In general, leg cramps occur at night and more frequently in women who suffer from osteoporosis.
Apparently, the causes of this phenomenon are not only varied but also numerous: dehydration, magnesium deficiency, poor blood circulation, etc.
To get rid of leg cramps, it is recommended to mix baking soda with water.
Then, you are advised to pour a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water or a bottle and drink the mixture immediately.
3. Baking Soda for Foot Cramps
Foot cramps are multifactorial and can be of sporting, metabolic or medical origin. Diabetes, circulatory disorders of the lower limbs, etc. are recognized as medical causes of foot cramps.
Indeed, baking soda can also relieve pain and fatigue due to a day of work and/or walking, for example.
To relieve foot cramps, you should bathe your feet with warm or hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Afterward, massage your feet with sweet almond oil and lavender essential oil.
4. Baking Soda for Muscle Recovery
In addition to increasing punctual performance, some athletes and trainers claim that baking soda improves recovery and allows you to space out your workouts less.
In concrete terms, you need nothing more than a baking soda bath to relieve your muscles after an effort. It helps eliminate toxins, which promotes muscle recovery.
5. Baking Soda for Back Pain
You can also relieve your back pain due to baking soda. To do this, dissolve baking soda in hot bath water, which will release magnesium.
The magnesium will penetrate the skin cells. Some active principles of magnesium, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory, as well as the heat, will promote complete relaxation of the back muscles.
6. How to Use Baking Soda for Muscle Cramps
It can be interesting to consume baking soda before starting your physical exercises.
To do this, simply drink a glass of water in which you have diluted baking soda. Think of a ratio of 0.3 g/kg of body mass, that is, for a 70 kg athlete, 20 g of baking soda per day.
Baking soda water is not only recommended for athletes. You can also consume it just to prevent muscle cramps.
To do this, drink a glass of baking soda water slowly.
Note that a baking soda bath is very beneficial for muscle relaxation. Simply sprinkle a few tablespoons of baking soda in your bath water and stir it well in the water for complete dilution.
You will feel lighter and with less muscle pain.
7. How Much Baking Soda to Reduce Lactic Acid
Baking soda is known as an alkaline substance that can promote the neutralization of lactic acid that accumulates in your muscles.
This will allow you to train harder and longer.
It is indeed advised to take 0.3 g of baking soda per kilo of body weight in 36 cl of cold water.
IV. Baking Soda and Exercise Performance
1. How PH Affects Exercise Performance
Inhibition of the different enzymatic systems involved in the supply occurs when the lower limit of a certain degree of acidity is exceeded.
This can lead to an interruption in muscular work.
As a reminder, any muscular effort produces acid waste. In athletes, this acid waste is manifested by fatigue during exercise, cramps, muscle soreness, incomplete recovery, etc.
This is how the pH affects the physical performance of athletes.
2. How Baking Soda Helps Maintain PH
Baking soda, also known as hydrogen carbonate, is an amphoteric species, i.e. both basic and acidic.
In concrete terms, it has a function that can be described as a buffer, particularly in the blood, where it helps maintain the hydrogen potential (pH), known in this case as homeostasis.
V. Other Natural Remedies for Muscle Cramps
1) Cider vinegar
The richness of potassium in cider vinegar allows it to be effective against muscle cramps.
It is more a product to take as a preventive than a curative measure.
To use the cider vinegar against muscular cramps, you just have to associate it with a little honey.
In a cup of hot water, add a tablespoon of cider vinegar and a tablespoon of honey. Drink the mixture twice a day, it will help prevent stomach cramps.
You can also apply a compress soaked in cider vinegar to the painful area, as a cure.
You can also add cider vinegar to your bath water to relax your muscles.
2) Lavender Essential Oil
True lavender essential oil is known for its soothing abilities. If you have muscle cramps, use it as a massage oil.
Mix your lavender essential oil with vegetable oil before using it.
3) Epsom Salt
Rich in magnesium, Epsom salt is an ally against muscle cramps. In case of cramps, take a bath with Epsom salt.
Due to this, your body will be enriched with minerals, which is ideal to fight against cramps. Moreover, it is an extremely relaxing bath.
VI. Drinking Baking Soda Dangers
Drinking technical baking soda represents a danger for humans. On the other hand, the food is consumable.
So don’t confuse baking soda with food. You should also not confuse baking soda with any other product.
Also, baking soda is not dangerous if you do not exceed the normal recommended dose. Taking too much of this product can be very dangerous to your health. You should not take it every day.
It should also not be prescribed to pregnant women and should not be taken with medical treatment.
VII. Other Questions About Baking Soda and Muscles
1. Does Baking Soda Reduce Swelling
Baking soda may reduce swelling. A scientific study shows that drinking water mixed with baking soda changes the immune system cells called macrophages in the spleen, kidneys, and blood two weeks later.
The study explains that the cells that promote inflammation, the M1s, are transformed into M2s that reduce swelling.
2. How Much Baking Soda Is Safe Per Day?
For 24 hours, people between the ages of 5 and 60 can take up to 6 doses of baking soda with a two-hour interval.
People over 60 years of age should limit themselves to 3 doses of baking soda per day.
To avoid any discomfort, it is imperatively recommended that you avoid taking the recommended dose quickly or drinking the remedy when full.
3. What Is Your Body Lacking When You Have Leg Cramps?
Mineral deficiency in your body can cause leg cramps.
It is important to note that the heat or sweat that you give off each time you exercise is not just water.
It also contains electrolytes and, above all, minerals that are important for the proper functioning of our body.
This imbalance can cause cramps if there is a lack of calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium in your body.
4. Is Baking Soda an Anti-inflammatory?
Baking soda, according to a team of researchers at Augusta University (USA), would allow an anti-inflammatory environment.
This can be very beneficial in the context of inflammatory diseases such as cramps, arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Baking soda is therefore known to be an excellent anti-inflammatory.
5. Can You Mix Epsom Salt with Baking Soda?
You can mix Epsom salt with baking soda to make a bath. You simply need to mix 1/3 cup of Epsom salt, 1/3 cup of sea salt, and 3 tablespoons of ground ginger.
Also, you have the option of adding 1/3 cup of baking soda, if you like. Finally, pour the mixture into a warm bath.
6. Is It OK to Drink Baking Soda Water Every day?
It is not acceptable to drink baking soda water every day. We already had to raise it, the recurrent consumption of this product can be very dangerous for your health.
7. How Much Baking Soda Is Poisonous?
Any excess is harmful, and you should not abuse the consumption of baking soda. It can be very dangerous for your body.
Thus, baking soda is a product that is considered dangerous beyond 200 to 300 grams.
Useful Links:
The Evolution of Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramp Research
Muscle Cramping During Exercise: Causes, Solutions, and Questions Remaining
Baking soda for oral lichen planus [Use & Benefits]
