[annie123 (OP)]

A friend who had hands with quite severe tremors has been taking sodium bicarb - a teasp. a day - for a couple of weeks and her hands have stopped shaking. Her daughter recommended it - found something on the web about it. Nothing else has seemed to work. Anyone know why/how this works? And why no doctors I have heard of have tried it?

[chris]

Sodium "bicarb" is the household name for sodium bicarbonate, which is NaHCO3.

When you eat this, the bicarbonate reacts with stomach acid (HCl) to produce sodium chloride (table salt), CO2 (carbon dioxide) and water. The sodium ions are absorbed into the bloodstream via the intestine:

NaHCO3 + HCl -> NaCl + CO2 + H2O

Most people report that it makes them belch as a result and sometimes experience "dyspepsia" because the bicarbonate neutralises stomach acid, affecting digestion.

However, the net result is that all sodium bicarb will do is to boost body sodium, of which there is already a very large amount. I am therefore skeptical about it having any influence on common tremors, excepting of course tremors caused by some kind of metabolic disturbance or a low-sodium state.

In fact, some patients report that exposure to sodium bicarbonate can cause tremors to occur: http://www.druginformer.com/search/side_effect_details/sodium%20bicarbonate%20in%20plastic%20container/tremor.html

It's worth noting that, in the above situation, many of the preparations listed are things like "Alka seltzer" which is of course taken for a hangover. It's therefore more likely that the hangover - or the metabolic aftermath also associated with what caused the hangover - is linked to the tremor. Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) for instance, would be a good culprit.

[annie123 (OP)]

Thanks. Yes, I knew what SB is and how it reacts with stomach fluids but was not aware it had any other effects except perhaps causing tremors rather than reducing them. The person in question is 80 years old and does not have hangovers.Low blood sugar? She hasn't been diagnosed with that. Her only other problem is gout which was what she was advised to take the SB for in the first place. I can only report what I have seen with 'my own eyes' that she used not to be able to hold a cup or a pen and now can do both, and hold out her hand without it shaking. perhaps there is another cause which is totally unrelated but has just happened coincidentally, by accident.

[Bored chemist]

What caused the shaking in the first place?
The bicarbonate is used in the treatment of gout because it makes the urine more alkaline ans this increases the rate at which the patient excretes uric acid.
That change in urine pH will also alter the rate at which other substances - like drugs and their metabolites- are excreted. In some cases it will increase the rate of excretion- in other cases it will reduce it

Many old people are on a number of drugs and medications and it is possible that the bicarbonate is altering the rate of excretion of some drug (or metabolite) and that is affecting the tremor.

[annie123 (OP)]

Thanks. Plausible suggestions - but she doesn't take any other medication. I've no idea what caused the tremor in the first place.

[annie123 (OP)]

I have recently read that changes in the gut microbiome can affect Parkinson's tremors, so it occurred to me that if SB makes the gut more alkaline this might change the microbiome population which could affect the tremors. has anyone else heard of this?
Also, re gout - my friend has some gout ni her foot so perhaps the reply mentioning gout could have some relevance too.