Citro-Soda is an alkalinising granule dissolved in water, used to relieve the burning and stinging of cystitis and to settle indigestion and heartburn. It eases symptoms by making urine less acidic — but it does not treat a urinary infection, and it is high in sodium and potassium.
What is Citro Soda?
Citro-Soda is a urinary alkaliniser and antacid, supplied as granules in sachets that are dissolved in water. It is a general-sale product rather than a scheduled medicine, which is why it sits on the shelf beside indigestion remedies rather than behind the counter.
Check your own sachet for the exact composition. Products of this type are built from alkalinising salts — typically combinations of sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, citric acid and potassium salts — and the precise mix and quantities are printed on the pack. The salt content is the part that matters for the cautions below, so it is worth reading.
How it works is straightforward chemistry. These salts are absorbed and raise the pH of the urine, making it less acidic. Acidic urine passing over an inflamed, irritated bladder and urethra is what produces the characteristic burning and stinging of cystitis. Make the urine more alkaline and that burning eases considerably.
Taken for indigestion, the same salts neutralise stomach acid directly, which is the classic antacid effect.
The crucial point is what alkalinising does not do. It changes the acidity of the urine. It does not kill bacteria, and it does not treat an infection.
What is Citro Soda commonly used for?
- Relief of cystitis symptoms — burning or stinging on passing urine, urgency, and frequent passing of small amounts. This is its best-known use in South Africa.
- Discomfort from a lower urinary tract infection, alongside proper treatment.
- Indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux, as an antacid.
- Making urine less acidic where a doctor has advised it, for instance in some kinds of kidney stone.
The thing to be clear about
Citro-Soda does not cure a urinary tract infection. Most UTIs are bacterial, and clearing them requires an antibiotic. Alkalinising relieves the burning while the infection continues underneath.
This matters because an untreated UTI can travel upward to the kidneys, causing pyelonephritis — a considerably more serious illness that can require hospital treatment. Using symptom relief for days while the infection ascends is a genuinely harmful pattern, and it is common precisely because Citro-Soda works so well on the burning.
See a doctor or pharmacist for a suspected UTI, particularly if symptoms last beyond a day or two, and urgently if you develop:
- Fever, chills or shivering
- Pain in the back or side, below the ribs
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blood in the urine
- Confusion, especially in an older person
Also seek assessment rather than self-treating if you are pregnant, if the symptoms are in a man or a child, if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, if you have recurrent infections, or if you have kidney disease.
Used alongside proper treatment — or for a mild irritation while you arrange to be seen — it is doing something genuinely useful.
How Citro Soda fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Urinary alkalinisers | Citro-Soda, potassium citrate | Reduces urine acidity; eases cystitis burning |
| Antacids | Sodium bicarbonate, Gaviscon, Rennies | Neutralises stomach acid; fast, short-lived |
| Acid-reducing medicines | Pantoprazole (Praztek) | Reduces acid production; slower, sustained |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine butylbromide (Hyospasmol, Buscopan) | Relieves cramping and bladder spasm |
| Antibiotics | Ciprofloxacin (Cifran), nitrofurantoin | Actually treats a urinary infection |
That last row is the one that clears an infection. See the digestive, stomach and nausea medicines hub.
What to check before using Citro Soda
Dissolve the granules fully in water as directed, and drink plenty of additional fluid alongside — flushing the bladder helps in its own right.
Read the sodium and potassium content on the pack. This is the main practical check, because these are salts and the quantities are not trivial.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor before using it if:
- You have high blood pressure, or are on a low-salt diet. The sodium content matters.
- You have heart failure, where sodium loading can worsen fluid retention.
- You have kidney disease. This is the most important one — impaired kidneys handle a sodium and potassium load poorly.
- You take an ACE inhibitor such as enalapril, an ARB, or spironolactone or another potassium-sparing diuretic. All of these raise potassium, and adding a potassium-containing alkaliniser can push it to a dangerous level. This combination is easy to overlook because Citro-Soda feels like a harmless shelf product.
- You have diabetes, or are pregnant.
- The product is for a child.
- You take other medicines — alkalinising urine changes how some are excreted, including lithium, methotrexate and some antibiotics. Ask a pharmacist.
Follow the pack instructions. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
It is symptom relief with a time limit. If urinary symptoms have not settled within about two days, or are worsening at any point, stop relying on it and get assessed.
Do not use it repeatedly for recurrent cystitis without investigation. Recurrent urinary infections have causes worth identifying, and in men or children a single UTI warrants assessment in its own right.
High potassium causes no symptoms until it is dangerous. If you take an ACE inhibitor, an ARB or spironolactone, ask a pharmacist before buying an alkalinising product rather than assuming a general-sale item is neutral.
As an antacid, it is for occasional use. Frequent heartburn needs a different approach — an alginate, or an acid-reducing medicine — and persistent reflux should be assessed.
Drink plenty of water whether or not you take it.
Seek urgent medical attention for fever, chills or shivering with urinary symptoms; pain in the back or side; nausea and vomiting; blood in the urine; confusion in an older person; inability to pass urine; palpitations or marked muscle weakness; or swelling of the ankles with breathlessness. Seek assessment for urinary symptoms in a man, a child, or anyone pregnant.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Digestive, Stomach & Nausea Medicines guides
- Read: Hyospasmol used for
- Read: Adco Contromet used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Citro-Soda used for? Relieving the burning and stinging of cystitis by making urine less acidic, and settling indigestion and heartburn as an antacid.
Does it cure a urinary tract infection? No. It relieves the burning but does not kill bacteria. A bacterial UTI needs an antibiotic, and leaving one untreated risks a kidney infection.
How long can I use it for cystitis? Around two days at most before getting assessed. Sooner if you develop fever, back pain, vomiting or blood in the urine.
Can I take it with my blood pressure tablets? Ask a pharmacist. It contains sodium and potassium salts, and combining it with an ACE inhibitor, an ARB or spironolactone can raise potassium dangerously.
Can I use it for heartburn? Yes, it works as an antacid for occasional heartburn. Frequent reflux needs a different and more sustained treatment.
Is it safe in pregnancy? Check with your doctor or pharmacist, and get urinary symptoms in pregnancy assessed properly — UTIs in pregnancy need treatment rather than symptom relief.