Baking Soda’s Surprising Role in a Serious Diabetes Complication

For people living with diabetes, one of the most serious complications to watch for is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) a potentially life-threatening condition that can happen when blood sugar is dangerously high and insulin is too low. But in rare and severe cases, DKA can open the door to a second, even more alarming threat: mucormycosis, a fast-spreading fungal infection.

Interestingly, a common household staple baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate may be used in hospital settings to help treat this life-threatening infection. But don’t head to your kitchen cabinet just yet. This is strictly a medical-grade intervention, only administered by professionals in a clinical environment.

Here’s what to know about the link between baking soda, diabetes, and the rare infection that sometimes complicates DKA.

Understanding Diabetic Ketoacidosis

DKA happens when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to help glucose (sugar) enter your cells for energy. As a result, your body starts breaking down fat as an alternative fuel source, producing ketones. When ketone levels rise too high, the blood becomes acidic, leading to DKA.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), symptoms of DKA include:

• Nausea or vomiting

• Rapid breathing

• Dehydration (dry skin, dry mouth, extreme thirst)

• Confusion or decreased alertness

• Fruity-smelling breath

• Abdominal pain

DKA is most common in type 1 diabetes, but it can also occur in advanced cases of type 2 diabetes, especially when insulin levels drop too low.

When DKA isn’t treated quickly, it can lead to coma or even death. The ADA recommends checking urine ketone levels when blood glucose is above 240 mg/dL, especially if symptoms are present.

The Hidden Risk: Mucormycosis

While DKA is dangerous enough on its own, it can also create the perfect internal environment for a rare and deadly fungal infection called mucormycosis, sometimes known as “black fungus.”

This aggressive infection is caused by molds found in soil and decaying organic matter. Though rare, mucormycosis is most likely to strike people with weakened immune systems and those experiencing the acid imbalance caused by DKA are particularly vulnerable.

Symptoms of mucormycosis may include:

• Fever

• Facial pain or swelling

• Vision changes or eye pain

• Facial paralysis or slurred speech

• Necrosis (tissue death), often on the face or in the sinuses

Without rapid treatment, mucormycosis can spread through the body with devastating consequences.

How Sodium Bicarbonate Helps

In a 2016 study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researcher Ashraf S. Ibrahim, PhD, found that sodium bicarbonate plays a unique and potentially life-saving role in the treatment of mucormycosis in patients with DKA.

Here’s how it works:

• It neutralizes blood acidity: By buffering the high acid levels caused by ketones in DKA, sodium bicarbonate helps bring the blood’s pH back toward a safe range.

• It slows fungal growth: Sodium bicarbonate also seems to reverse biological processes that allow mucormycosis to thrive in acidic environments. Even when acidosis isn’t severe, it can inhibit fungal spread.

• It supports antifungal therapies: When used alongside iron chelation (which removes excess iron from the bloodstream), sodium bicarbonate limits one of the fungus’s key growth factors: available iron.

According to Dr. Ibrahim, this treatment is not a substitute for antifungal medication or surgery when needed but it can be a critical adjunct in severe, complex cases.

Important Caveats and Safety Concerns

While the connection between baking soda and DKA-related mucormycosis may sound promising, this is not a DIY treatment. Using baking soda at home, especially in large amounts or without medical supervision, can lead to alkalemia an excessively high blood pH that can cause serious complications.

Dr. Ibrahim emphasizes that sodium bicarbonate is only used intravenously and under strict medical oversight in hospital settings. It should never be self-administered for DKA or any other diabetes-related complication.

And importantly, baking soda is not used to treat DKA itself only the rare complication of mucormycosis that can occasionally arise in these patients.

What You Can Do

If you live with diabetes especially type 1 or insulin-dependent type 2 DKA is a medical emergency you need to understand and watch for. To help prevent DKA and its complications:

• Monitor your blood sugar regularly.

• Check for ketones if your glucose is high.

• Stay hydrated and follow your treatment plan.

• Seek immediate care if you experience DKA symptoms.

And if you or someone you love has DKA and begins to show signs of infection, especially facial pain or changes, don’t delay care early intervention can save lives.

The Takeaway

While sodium bicarbonate may sound like a simple household remedy, its use in DKA-related mucormycosis is a specialized hospital treatment backed by emerging science. It’s a powerful example of how even basic substances can have life-saving applications when used with precision, care, and clinical expertise.

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