Why Low Bicarbonate Levels Might Signal A Risk For Premature Death

Older adults who are otherwise healthy are at earlier risk for death if they have low blood levels of bicarbonate, a main ingredient in baking soda. Kalani Raphael, MD, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah and nephrologist at the VA Salt Lake Health Care System, explains the surprising results of his research. Why might low bicarbonate levels indicate poor health, and how might doctors use this information in the future? Read the study in Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.