Should you use baking soda for ED?

Baking soda is a common household item touted as a remedy for seemingly everything from stinky feet and heartburn to — you guessed it — erectile dysfunction (ED). Rumors about ingesting baking soda for ED have been making the internet rounds lately, so if you’re one of the approximately 150 million people affected by ED, it’s normal to wonder if there’s any truth to the claim. 

So, does baking soda work for ED? Could this simple white powder be the fix for your sexual performance struggles? Unfortunately, no. Baking soda is unlikely to make any difference in your erections, unlike science-backed ED treatments like Viagra (sildenafil) or Cialis (tadalafil). 

Here’s what you need to know about the thinking behind baking soda for ED — and how consuming too much of the ingredient can offer more risk than reward.

First things first: Baking soda is not an effective home remedy for ED. 

So, what’s with the claim? The magic of baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is that it’s naturally alkaline—aka, it’s a base, not an acid. Base neutralizes acid, which is why baking soda can eliminate some odors and occasionally calm sour stomachs. 

The theory behind baking soda for ED takes the substance’s alkalinity and arguably stretches it too far. The rumor goes that consuming a tonic of baking soda mixed into water can rebalance the body’s pH and stimulate the production of nitric oxide, a molecule that plays a vital role in healthy, long-lasting erections. 

Unfortunately, there’s no evidence that baking soda works for ED. In fact, consuming baking soda likely has more risks than benefits.

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Baking soda is not inherently dangerous, but it is typically only considered safe for consumption in limited quantities—a teaspoon or two for a batch of biscuits or cookies. Chugging entire glasses of baking soda water can be unsafe, especially as a long-term practice. 

Here are the risks of using baking soda for ED.

Too much sodium

No matter how much water you dilute it with, a single teaspoon of baking soda for ED still contains 1,260 mg of sodium. That’s more than half the 2,000 mg maximum daily recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Research shows a clear link between high sodium diets and high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease. When blood pressure is too high for too long, it is classified as hypertension, a diagnosis associated with unnecessary strain on the heart, damage to blood vessels, and an increased risk of erectile dysfunction. 

Electrolyte imbalance

Baking soda contains two electrolytes: bicarbonate and sodium. Electrolytes are essential substances that play an important role in hydration and fluid balance. Too much or too little of one electrolyte can throw off the mix, which means that ingesting large quantities of bicarbonate and sodium as a supposed ED remedy could cause electrolyte imbalance. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the imbalance. For instance, an excess of sodium can cause excess thirst and lightheadedness. Excess bicarbonate causes alkalosis, which is explained below.

Metabolic alkalosis

Disrupting the body’s natural pH with too much of an alkaline substance like baking soda for ED can lead to a dangerous state called metabolic alkalosis. In this state, the body’s delicate balance of acid and base has been compromised. Symptoms of alkalosis may include nausea or vomiting, weakness, and even confusion.

Gastrointestinal distress

On top of not providing any down-there perks, baking soda could mess with your sexual performance potential by making you feel sick to your stomach. In one small study of oral ingestion of sodium bicarbonate, 91% of participants experienced diarrhea. More than half also reported bloating, and nearly half experienced nausea. Gut issues should be temporary, but they’re still not a fun result of drinking watered-down baking soda for ED.

If you’ve been struggling to get or maintain erections, you have better options than baking soda. Here are some evidence-based treatments for ED that have cold, hard science to back them up.

Every body is different, so it’s important to get personalized medical advice from a healthcare provider (face-to-face or online, such as through Ro) to determine which, if any, of these drugs is the best ED treatment for you.  

Prescription medications 

The first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction is a type of oral medication belonging to a drug class called PDE5 inhibitors. These prescription drugs work in part by relaxing the blood vessels in the penis, which improves blood flow for a harder, longer-lasting erection. 

Examples of PDE5 inhibitors approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include: 

• Viagra (sildenafil)

• Cialis (tadalafil)

• Stendra (avanafil)

• Vardenafil (the generic of a now-discontinued brand-name drug called Levitra)

Certain PDE5 inhibitors can also be found in other formulations—a perk if you’re not a fan of popping pills. For example:

• Ro Sparks: a fast-acting sublingual (read: under-the-tongue) tablet that combines sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis 

• Daily Rise Gummies: a once-a-day, fruit-flavored gummy that contains tadalafil 

Though these formulations are not FDA-approved, they contain ingredients that have been individually FDA-approved for ED.

Lifestyle changes 

There is no simple trick to cure ED, but you may be able to improve mild ED symptoms without medication. Lifestyle changes can also be a vital supplement to FDA-approved prescription drugs for ED. Key lifestyle factors include:

• Quitting smoking. Research suggests that people who currently smoke have a 50% higher risk of ED compared to people who have never smoked. Dropping this habit has the potential to dramatically improve ED and overall sexual satisfaction.

• Improving your diet. Cardiovascular disease is a strong risk factor for ED, so maintaining a heart-healthy diet may help prevent worsening ED and support healthy blood flow to the penis. Reduce your consumption of processed foods, sugary snacks, and booze, all of which can worsen sexual performance issues.

• Moving your body regularly. Research shows that regular exercise can reduce the risk of ED.  Cycling, swimming, brisk walking, and jogging are all great ways to get your blood pumping.

• Addressing your mental health. ED can be stressful, and unfortunately, stress can also contribute to ED symptoms. That means pausing to improve your mindset with deep breathing or addressing chronic stress, anxiety, and depression with therapy may improve your mood and sexual performance.

Other therapies

Though they’re not the first-line treatment for ED, your healthcare provider may recommend other therapies like penile injections or medical devices such as a penis pump or penile implant, depending on the severity of your condition and other individual factors.  

Unlike oral medications, penile injections can cause erections without any other sexual stimulation. Injecting ED medication directly into the penis dilates the blood vessels so that the penis fills with blood, triggering a spontaneous erection. 

As for medical devices for ED: A penis pump is a non-surgical device that works by manually boosting blood flow to the penis. Penis implants (also known as penile prosthesis) are surgically inserted in erectile tissue and can be either bent upward or inflated (depending on the type) to create erections.

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If you struggle with ED, it’s normal to wish for a quick and easy fix. Unfortunately, baking soda for ED is another internet-perpetuated myth without scientific evidence. The hard truth is that ingesting baking soda is more likely to overload your body with sodium or cause diarrhea than improve your sexual function. 

• Baking soda is not an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. There is no scientific evidence that ingesting this common pantry item can improve sexual performance. Claims are based on a theory that baking soda can balance the body’s overall pH, but the actual process of getting an erection has little to do with pH, and ingesting baking soda is unlikely to change your ability to get an erection. 

• Consuming too much baking soda is unhealthy. Baking soda is very high in sodium, so ingesting large quantities may lead to high blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, and gastrointestinal issues.  

• There are effective treatments for ED. Clinically proven medications, such as Viagra or Cialis, are much more likely to improve sexual performance than baking soda or other home remedies. Lifestyle changes can also help, including improving your diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, and quitting smoking.