Can sodium bicarbonate tablets treat gout?

Sodium bicarbonate tablets can be used as an adjunctive treatment for gout but are not a primary therapeutic agent. Sodium bicarbonate is an alkaline medication; its administration alkalizes urine, facilitating the excretion of urate crystals, reducing urate deposition in joints and kidneys, and helping prevent the formation of uric acid stones in the urinary tract. These effects may help lower serum uric acid levels and alleviate gout symptoms. Sodium bicarbonate tablets do not possess anti-inflammatory or analgesic properties, nor do they directly lower serum uric acid levels. In the treatment of gout, sodium bicarbonate is typically used as an adjunct and must be combined with other urate-lowering drugs (such as allopurinol, febuxostat, or benzbromarone). Sodium bicarbonate tablets have a high sodium content. For gout patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, or edema, the use of sodium bicarbonate tablets may exacerbate their condition. Therefore, these patients are generally advised against using this medication.