> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Believe it or not, baking soda fights cancer - URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/baking_soda_fights_cancer_0924161142/ - Published: 2016-09-24T14:26:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-22T15:45:14.000Z - Description: An eLife study from Zhejiang University reports that adding sodium bicarbonate to Tila-Tace improved all treated liver cancer patients, against about 40% responding to Tila-Tace alone, and cut viable tumour residue 93% versus 55%. Mean survival ran over three years against half a year. - Author: Food Consumer - Tags: Food, Nutrition, #vivvo-import Saturday Sept 24, 2016 (foodconsumer.org) -- [Sodium bicarbonate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium%5Fbicarbonate?ref=foodconsumer.org) or commonly known as baking soda can be very effective in treating certain cancers if not all cancers. Many reports are personal testimonials that have no chance to be published in peer-reviewed medical journals. A new study published in [elife ](https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e15691?ref=foodconsumer.org)reveals that sodium bicarbonate delivered through a medical procedure can greatly enhance the therapeutic effect of conventional treatments against aggressive cancers like liver cancer. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Zhejiang University in China and reported on [https://elifesciences.org](https://elifesciences.org/content/5/e15691?ref=foodconsumer.org) found that 100% liver cancer patients improved their conditions when treated with sodium bicarbonate plus a common treatment known as Tila Tace while some 40% liver cancer patients were responsive to the treatment with Tila-Tace alone. Tila Tace stands for targeting-intratumoral-lactic-acidosis [TACE](http://www.mcancer.org/liver-cancer/transarterial-chemoembolization?ref=foodconsumer.org). The study shows that the treatment with both Tila-Tace and sodium bicarbonate reduced the viable cancer residues by 93%. In comparison, Tila Tace alone lowered the cancer residues by about 55% only. The combinational treatments gave patients with advanced liver cancer more than three years to live on average while conventional treatments without the humble baking soda only yielded a mean survival of half a year in patients with liver cancer. More details about the study can be viewed [here](http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/76/14%5FSupplement/LB-247.short?ref=foodconsumer.org). The Chinese researchers may not be the first to figure out that sodium bicarbonate may help kill cancer cells. Some naturopathic doctors and clinics have been using sodium bicarbonate to treat cancer patients for years. For instance, [Dr. Tullio Simoncini](http://www.curenaturalicancro.com/en/?ref=foodconsumer.org) has been using sodium bicarbonate to treat all sorts of cancers including breast cancer. In his protocol, 100 ml of bicarbonate at the concentration of 5% is directly injected to tumor mass. He reported that the sodium bicarbonate results in a great treatment outcome, but he acknowledged that not 100% types of cancer are responsive to the treatment. The person who discovered sodium bicarbonate as an anticancer agent and used it to treat cancer may be Jim Kelmun. Dr. Kelmun as other people called him even though he was not a medical doctor noticed that one lady was free of cancer while many members of her family contracted and died from cancer. He talked to the lady and found that she had a peculiar habit: drinking a preparation of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate and maple syrup) regularly. Then Dr. Kelmun started advising others to use baking soda to treat all sorts of cancer. Dr. Kelmun claimed that his baking soda and maple syrup protocol works effectively against many cancers and he treated hundreds of cancer patients successfully. Some people gave their testimonials to suggest that drinking sodium bicarbonate can help fight cancer. For instance, a gentleman named Vernon Johnston claimed that he [cured his prostate cancer by drinking sodium bicarbonate solutions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl8Y8I%5FTsjI&ref=foodconsumer.org). A good review on [sodium bicarbonate and cancer](http://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/systemic-buffers-in-cancer-therapy-the-example-of-sodium-bicarbonatestupid-idea-or-wise-remedy-2161-0444-1000314.php?aid=65744&ref=foodconsumer.org) was published by Seraina Faes and Olivier Dormond. The authors cautioned though that drinking sodium bicarbonate can be risky. So why can sodium bicarbonate kill cancer cells? Unlike the normal cells, cancer cells metabolizes glucose through the aerobic glycolytic pathway to generate energy (ATP) and release lactic acid (Warburg effect discovered by Nobel Prize winner [Otto Heinrich Warburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto%5FHeinrich%5FWarburg?ref=foodconsumer.org)), which explains why cancer patients easily feel fatigued and eventually feel pain in the bone. Research has now discovered that the [acidic microenvironment](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3849184/?ref=foodconsumer.org) influenced by lactic acid promotes the [growth](http://dial.uclouvain.be/pr/boreal/object/boreal:172412?ref=foodconsumer.org), progression and invasion of cancer cells. These findings prompt researchers to speculate that disrupting the effect of lactic acid may stop cancer growth and progression. Recently, researchers have viewed [lactic acidosis as a therapeutic target](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168365912003410?ref=foodconsumer.org). Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes lactic acid and raises the extratumoural pH and stops or even kills cancer cells. Studies have proved that the acidic microvironment created by cancer mass helps promote the growth and progression of cancer. An [article ](http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/76/6/1381?ref=foodconsumer.org)recently published in Cancer Research reports that in animal models with various types of malignant tumors, netralization of the acidic emvironment with sodium bocarbonate can help T-cell infiltration and boost response of cancer cells to immunotherapy. As circulated on the Internet, reports claim that in order to have a therapeutic effect against cancer, one needs to drink the sodium bicarbonate water to raise salivary pH or urinary pH to at least 7.6\. Some people first raise the pH to 8.0 or even 8.6 and maintain it at that level for a few days and then use less sodium bicarbonate to lower the pH to 7.6 and eventually to 7.35 - the normal physiological pH. Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda is a food ingredient that is commonly used in baked products. Its common use is very safe! However, keep in mind that high doses of sodium bicarbonate intended to raise pH pH above 8.0 can lead to a dangerous pathological condition called alkalosis. High intake of this food ingredient may also cause other side effects. (David Liu) Editor's note: As always, foodconsumer.org is not responsible for any loss you will endure should you choose to use any information in this and all other articles. If you have any medical or health condition, you should consult with your doctors. The report provided here is only for your information which is not anything of medical advice. FDA does not recognize sodium bicarbonate as a drug and only drugs can treat or cure diseases by the FDA definition.