Drug & supplement interaction

Sodium Bicarbonate + Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd

Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd brand names: Acedoval, Dovacet.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd falls into 2 drug categories that Sodium Bicarbonate can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, sodium bicarbonate may increase the risk of hypokalemia in patients taking methylxanthines.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Sodium Bicarbonate and Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Sodium Bicarbonate interacts with whole categories of medication. Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Sodium Bicarbonate in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

METHYLXANTHINES

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Why this applies to Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd

Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd falls under METHYLXANTHINES — the group Sodium Bicarbonate interacts with.

Theoretically, sodium bicarbonate may increase the risk of hypokalemia in patients taking methylxanthines.
Orally, use of excessive sodium bicarbonate (such as the intake of "tablespoons" of sodium bicarbonate daily or up to one box of baking soda weekly) has been associated with cases of hypokalemia. Furthermore, the most common complication of intravenous sodium bicarbonate is hypokalemia. Theophylline and related drugs can reduce serum potassium levels, possibly by increasing intracellular uptake of potassium. Hypokalemia is most likely to occur after acute overdose of these drugs. However, reduced potassium levels can occur with therapeutic doses, and the incidence and degree of hypokalemia increases with increasing serum theophylline levels.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about this combo. The caffeine in your Acedoval or Dovacet belongs to the same family as theophylline, and drugs in that family can nudge your potassium level a little lower by pushing potassium into your cells. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) has also been tied to low potassium, but really only when people overdo it, think tablespoons a day or close to a box a week.

This is a theoretical concern, not something proven to happen at normal doses. An occasional pinch of baking soda for heartburn alongside this medicine is very unlikely to cause trouble. Low potassium can show up as muscle weakness, cramps, or a fluttery heartbeat. If you use baking soda regularly or have heart, kidney, or blood pressure issues, check with your pharmacist first.

References
  1. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
  2. Crane J, Burgess CD, Graham AN, Maling TJB. Hypokalemic and electrocardiographic effects of aminophylline and salbutamol in obstructive airways disease. NZ Med J 1987;100:309-11. DOI
  3. Zantvoort FA, Derkx FHM, Boomsma F, et al. Theophylline and serum electrolytes (letter). Ann Int Med 1986;104:134-5. PubMed
  4. Braat MCP, Jonkers RE, Bel EH, Van Boxtel CJ. Quantification of theophylline-induced eosinopenia and hypokalamia in healthy volunteers. Clin Pharmacokinet 1992;22:231-7..
  5. Flack JM, Ryder KW, Strickland D, Whang R. Metabolic correlates of theophylline therapy: a concentration-related phenomenon. Ann Pharmacother 1994;28:175-9.. PubMed
  6. Proudfoot, A. T., Krenzelok, E. P., and Vale, J. A. Position Paper on urine alkalinization. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2004;42(1):1-26. PubMed
  7. Fitzgibbons, L. J. and Snoey, E. R. Severe metabolic alkalosis due to baking soda ingestion: case reports of two patients with unsuspected antacid overdose. J Emerg Med 1999;17(1):57-61. PubMed
Moderate

ASPIRIN

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Theoretically, sodium bicarbonate may reduce the levels and clinical effects of aspirin.
In humans, oral or intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate increases salicylate elimination. Although the exact mechanism of this effect is not clear, some researchers hypothesize that sodium bicarbonate increases urinary pH, which increases salicylate ionization and subsequent excretion by the kidneys. In patients with urine pH of about 5.5, renal clearance of salicylate is approximately 55 mL/min. When urine pH is increased with oral sodium bicarbonate to about 7.5, renal clearance of salicylate increases to approximately 100 mL/min. Similarly, urine alkalinization with sodium bicarbonate increases the mean total body clearance of salicylate by approximately 60% compared with urine acidification.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

This combo product contains aspirin (a salicylate) along with caffeine and Dover's powder. Here's the thing about pairing it with baking soda: sodium bicarbonate makes your urine more alkaline, and your kidneys clear aspirin out faster when the urine is less acidic. Studies in people have actually shown this, so it's not just theory. The result is lower aspirin levels, which can mean less pain or fever relief than you'd expect.

A single antacid dose now and then probably won't make a big dent. But taking sodium bicarbonate regularly could blunt how well the aspirin works. If you rely on this medicine for relief, chat with your pharmacist before adding routine baking soda, and remember it's also high in sodium.

References
  1. Proudfoot AT, Krenzelok EP, Brent J, Vale JA. Does urine alkalinization increase salicylate elimination? If so, why? Toxicol Rev 2003;22(3):129-36. PubMed
  2. Neavyn MJ, Boyer EW, Bird SB, Babu KM. Sodium acetate as a replacement for sodium bicarbonate in medical toxicology: a review. J Med Toxicol 2013;9(3):250-4. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Sodium Bicarbonate Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sodium Bicarbonate has 256 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sodium Bicarbonate

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Sodium Bicarbonate. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd

This page covers Sodium Bicarbonate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd page lists 347 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 13 major · 285 moderate · 49 minor.

Open the Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Sodium Bicarbonate as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 176 real supplement products containing Sodium Bicarbonate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sodium Bicarbonate. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd too, on top of Sodium Bicarbonate — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Sodium Bicarbonate and Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Sodium Bicarbonate
Top half

#464 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd
Top 5%

#100 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Sodium Bicarbonate

What is Sodium Bicarbonate?

  • Heartburn and indigestion (antacid)
  • Athletic performance (exercise buffer)
  • Urine alkalinization
  • Soothing skin irritation or itching (topical baths)
  • Mouth rinse and oral care

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a simple compound most often used as a fast-acting antacid and, in sports, as a buffer that may help with short, high-intensity exercise. It is generally safe in small, occasional doses, but it is high in sodium and can cause serious problems if overused, so people with heart, kidney, or blood pressure issues should be careful and check with a pharmacist or doctor.

Read the full Sodium Bicarbonate monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sodium Bicarbonate

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Sodium Bicarbonate — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
256Moderate
0Minor
2,573No known interaction
Moderate

256 interactions

Showing 60 of 256 moderate interactions — see all 256 on the Sodium Bicarbonate page.

No interaction 2,573 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Sodium Bicarbonate and Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sodium Bicarbonate with Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Sodium Bicarbonate and Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd?
Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd belongs to more than one drug category, and Sodium Bicarbonate interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Sodium Bicarbonate and Aspirin, Caffeine, Dover's Pwd interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

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