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Claim: A Facebook user claimed that baking soda can cure gastric ulcers, relieve heartburn, and remove black spots from the skin.
Verdict: False. Baking soda can briefly ease heartburn, but it does not cure gastric ulcers or remove dark spots, and experts advise against relying on it for either.
Full Text
When you hear “baking soda,” one of the first things that comes to mind is baking. People commonly use it in cakes, biscuits, and other tasty snacks to help them rise and achieve the right texture. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is a white alkaline compound that reacts with acidic ingredients during baking.
However, baking soda has been linked to other uses and benefits beyond baking. Recently, a Facebook user, @Lady Chicoups, claimed baking soda can treat gastric ulcers (archived here), relieve heartburn, and remove dark spots from the skin.
The user shared this claim in a video format, where she was heard saying, “Baking soda is very important. If you don’t have it in your house, please go get it after this video. It is very cheap for the work that it does. If you have a gastric ulcer or heartburn, use warm water and half a teaspoon of baking soda, and take it three times a week. You will not feel those symptoms again. Do you know that you can also use it to clear dark spots on your skin? Get a bucket of water and put two tablespoons of baking soda in it, and bathe with it three times a week.”
The video was captioned, “So many benefits of baking soda.”
As of Sept. 8, 2026, when the post was last seen, it had 20,000 likes, 888 comments, 2,200 shares, and over 3million views.
DUBAWA reviewed the comments to get a glimpse of what other respondents thought about the claim.
@Paul Chukwuma asked, “So baking soda can be consumed to heal stomach ulcers?”
@Amaobi Jessica expressed concern about the remedy, saying, “I hope it won’t affect or damage the kidneys?”
@Jusper Wendo shared his experience with the product, saying, “I used it on armpits and smelly toes, and the odour and bad smell disappeared.”
The same claim was also shared here and here.
Seeing that the claim relates to a sensitive aspect of human health and attracted massive engagement, DUBAWA decided to verify whether it was true.
Verification
DUBAWA began by examining what sodium bicarbonate does in the body to determine whether it can cure gastric ulcers, relieve heartburn, and remove dark spots from the skin, as claimed in the video.
According to the Mayo Clinic, sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, relieves heartburn, sour stomach, or acid indigestion by neutralising excess stomach acid; when used this way, it falls into a group of medicines called antacids. It may also treat the symptoms of stomach or duodenal ulcers. That distinction between symptoms and disease is where the ulcer claim runs into trouble.
Cleveland Clinic classifies it the same way: sodium bicarbonate treats occasional heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, or other conditions caused by too much stomach acid, and it works by reducing stomach acid. DUBAWA found no source that described it as a treatment for the ulcer itself, only for the discomfort it causes.
Medical literature examined by DUBAWA also raises concerns about repeated or excessive baking soda use. A case report published in the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine found that although baking soda can serve as a home remedy for dyspepsia (indigestion), excessive amounts can cause serious metabolic abnormalities. The report documented a case of haemorrhagic encephalopathy, or bleeding in the brain, which the authors described as the first reported case linked to baking soda ingestion. The report also noted that baking soda misuse could lead to other life-threatening complications.
A separate paper on sodium bicarbonate toxicity issued a similar warning. Although such toxicity is rare, overuse of sodium bicarbonate can cause severe and potentially fatal complications, including metabolic alkalosis and electrolyte disturbances such as high sodium, low potassium, low chloride, and low calcium levels.
DUBAWA did not find any medical study or guideline that supports baking soda as a cure for gastric ulcers. Every source, including the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, describes it only as short-term relief for symptoms like heartburn, not as a treatment that heals an ulcer. None of the sources linked baking soda to the two known causes of ulcers, H. pylori infection or long-term NSAID use, or to their actual treatments, which are antibiotics and a change in medication.
Regarding the use of baking soda for the skin, DUBAWA found that dermatological opinion runs opposite to the claim. In an interview with Healthline about this same viral trend, dermatologist Hannah Kopelman of Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery said that when people notice brighter-looking skin after they use baking soda, what actually happens is a temporary change from the removal of oil and dead cells on the surface, while the deeper pigment that causes dark spots stays untouched, since hyperpigmentation comes from melanin in the lower layers of the skin, which baking soda cannot reach.
She added, in the same interview, that baking soda could make uneven skin tone and dark spots worse, and that she has seen it cause darker discolouration, especially in people with medium or deeper skin tones.
DUBAWA found the mechanism behind that risk is well documented elsewhere too. A dermatology guide by L’Oréal Paris notes that the face has a naturally acidic pH of 4.5 to 5.5, and baking soda’s alkalinity can weaken the skin barrier. For that reason, dermatologists generally advise against its use on facial skin, since it can damage the skin’s protective acid mantle.
What medical professionals say
DUBAWA spoke with Dr Emuobor Odeghe, a gastroenterologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), who explained that although baking soda can provide relief from heartburn, that does not mean it treats the condition causing the symptom.
“Baking soda can give some relief because it’s major ingredient can neutralise the acid in the stomach. But you cannot say that it has treated the problem. If somebody keeps having heartburn, the person needs to find out what is causing it,” he said.
He noted that heartburn can occur for different reasons and should not automatically be taken to mean one thing.
“Heartburn can happen for different reasons. It can be related to acid coming back into the oesophagus, but there are other causes too. So, if somebody has that burning sensation, you cannot just conclude that the person has an ulcer,” Emuobor explained.
DUBAWA asked Emuobor about the video’s recommendation that people take half a teaspoon of baking soda in warm water three times a week.
“I would not advise people to make that a regular practice based on something they saw on social media. If somebody has recurrent heartburn, the person should get checked rather than continue to take baking soda whenever the symptoms come,” he said.
Emuobor also warned that repeated or excessive baking soda intake can harm the body.
“Baking soda is not something you should take regularly without medical advice. If you take too much, it can affect the body’s electrolyte balance and cause other complications. So, people should not assume that because it is cheap and available, it is safe to take as often as they want,” he explained.
Emuobor advised people who experience persistent or recurrent heartburn to seek medical attention.
“If the heartburn keeps coming back, do not take it for granted. Proper medications can help, but the right treatment depends on what is causing the heartburn. That is why the person needs to see a doctor,” he said.
DUBAWA also spoke with Fatima Yusuf, a dermatologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), who said that dark spots can develop for several reasons, including acne, inflammation, wounds, sun exposure and some skin conditions. She said that treatment depends largely on what caused the pigmentation in the first place.
“Dark spots are very common, and they can happen for different reasons. Sometimes, you see them after acne has healed. They can also follow an injury, inflammation or irritation of the skin. Sun exposure can make them more noticeable as well,” she explained.
According to Fatima, treatment for dark spots usually starts with the cause and may involve different options, depending on the individual.
“There are different ways of treating hyperpigmentation. Sometimes we use topical medications, sometimes we recommend products that help with pigmentation, and in some cases, we consider procedures. Sun protection is also very important because continued exposure to sunlight can make the pigmentation darker,” she said.
She stressed that people should be careful about what they apply to their skin when they have pigmentation.
“The skin is a delicate organ. When you use substances that irritate the skin, you can actually create another problem while you try to solve the first one. Irritation and inflammation can sometimes cause more pigmentation, especially in people whose skin is already prone to dark marks,” Fatima continued.
On the claim that bathing with baking soda can remove dark spots, Fatima said no dermatological recommendation supports the practice.
“I am not aware of any standard dermatological treatment that says bathing with baking soda removes dark spots. If you have pigmentation, the approach should be based on the cause of that pigmentation and not on a general remedy that is supposed to work for everybody,” she added.
Fatima also urged people to be cautious when a household product is presented as a treatment for a skin condition without any such direction on the product itself.
“If something is really recommended for a particular skin problem, you would expect that to be stated among its recognised uses or directions for use. When you buy baking soda, you do not see a recommendation that says it should be used to remove dark spots from the skin. So, people should be careful about claims that give a household product uses that are not part of its established instructions,” she buttressed.
Fatima advised people with persistent dark spots to seek a professional assessment rather than experiment with home remedies.
“If the dark spots persist or keep coming back, the person should see a dermatologist. The key is to identify the cause and choose the right treatment. Trying different substances on the skin without knowing what caused the pigmentation can sometimes make the situation worse,” she concluded.
Conclusion
The claim is false. DUBAWA’s overall findings show that baking soda does not cure gastric ulcers, heartburn, or dark spots, as claimed in the video. Although studies have shown that baking soda can provide temporary relief from heartburn by reducing stomach acid, this does not mean it cures the condition. Experts advise against relying on baking soda to treat these conditions and recommend professional medical care instead.