Can baking soda with Vaseline help with erectile disfunction

Checked on December 18, 2025
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Executive summary

The short answer is no: there is no credible clinical evidence that drinking or applying baking soda mixed with Vaseline treats erectile dysfunction (ED), and combining these substances may carry real risks rather than benefits [1] [2] [3]. Medical sources and fact-checkers warn that viral “baking soda” cures are unproven, sometimes manipulated, and that Vaseline used as a substitute for prescription therapy — especially when injected or inserted under the skin — has documented harmful outcomes [4] [1] [5].

1. The origin story of the kitchen “cure” and what the evidence actually shows

Online recipes and short videos claim that sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) raises blood pH to relax penile smooth muscle and boost blood flow, producing quick erections; mainstream medical write-ups and clinical reviews, however, find no evidence that ingesting or topically applying baking soda cures ED, and they urge evidence-based alternatives such as PDE5 inhibitors or lifestyle changes [6] [1] [7] [8]. Several reputable consumer-health explainers explicitly conclude there is no scientific support for baking soda as an ED treatment and call the trend a modern “TikTok trick” lacking trials that demonstrate improved erections [1] [3] [9].

2. A narrow, specific role for sodium bicarbonate — not what the viral posts claim

There is, however, a narrow clinical finding worth separating from the hype: a controlled study showed that adding sodium bicarbonate to intracavernous injection solutions reduced injection-related penile pain, an effect linked to local pH neutralization — but that trial addressed pain from injections, not systemic treatment of erectile function, and it does not validate drinking or smearing baking soda as a cure for ED [10] [3]. Promotional pieces that conflate any medical use of sodium bicarbonate with a universal ED cure overstate the science and ignore the specific procedural context of that study [10] [3].

3. Claims, counterclaims, and the small minority view

Most medical summaries and health platforms state categorically that there’s no evidence for baking soda improving erections [1] [2] [9], yet some industry-adjacent sites repeat that limited or preliminary research suggests possibilities and therefore encourage caution rather than dismissal [11]. That minority framing—“limited research suggests”—is often based on theoretical mechanisms or isolated reports and should not be read as proof of efficacy; mainstream clinicians still recommend evaluation and established treatments for ED [11] [1].

4. Safety concerns: systemic risks of baking soda and local harms from Vaseline misuse

Consuming excessive sodium bicarbonate can cause dangerous electrolyte imbalances, raise blood pressure, and provoke metabolic alkalosis or kidney stress, risks emphasized by health explainer sites warning against home “tonics” of baking soda [2] [12]. Separately, the medical literature documents harm when petroleum jelly (Vaseline) is injected or implanted under penile skin for augmentation or sex-related practices — producing granulomas, chronic inflammation, scarring and long-term complications — so Vaseline is explicitly not a safe alternative to medically supervised ED therapies [5].

5. Misinformation mechanics and practical guidance

Viral clips have been debunked as manipulated or misleading and sometimes harness fear about approved drugs to promote kitchen fixes; fact-checkers highlight that claims like a “30‑minute cure” are false and that reputable treatments remain prescription medications, counseling, and lifestyle programs [4] [3]. Given ED’s multiple causes — vascular, neurologic, hormonal, or psychological — diagnostic evaluation and evidence-based care are the responsible response, not homemade combinations of baking soda and petroleum jelly [8] [1].

6. Bottom line: do not rely on baking soda with Vaseline as a treatment

The balance of credible reporting and medical commentary concludes that baking soda mixed with Vaseline has no validated role in treating ED, carries avoidable risks when misused, and distracts from proven interventions; any impression that household fixes can replace clinical assessment and licensed therapies is unsupported by the available literature and public-health fact checks [1] [2] [5] [4].

Want to dive deeper?
What proven medical treatments are most effective for erectile dysfunction and how do they work?
What are the documented medical complications from injecting or implanting petroleum jelly into penile tissue?
How do social media health hoaxes around ED spread and which fact-checks have debunked the biggest viral claims?