It can also occur due to certain kidney diseases. If bicarbonate levels are too high or low, what treatments can help? Medications, medical conditions or environmental factors can contribute to high carbon dioxide levels in the blood. [academic.oup.com] Excessive distal sodium delivery increases distal tubular sodium reabsorption and exchange with the electrically equivalent potassium or hydrogen ion. Carbon dioxide produced by the human body is not a toxin. The normal level of serum bicarbonate is 22-29 mEq/L. ; Bicarbonate is a substance called a base, which the body needs to help keep a normal acid-base (pH) balance. A high level of bicarbonate in your blood can be from metabolic alkalosis, a condition that causes a pH increase in tissue. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience any of these symptoms: dizziness difficulty breathing confusion stupor coma It is a base, the opposite of acid, and can balance acid. Mild symptoms of high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood include flushed skin, muscle twitches, elevated heart rate, shortness of breath and minor mental impairment such as confusion. For people with CKD, metabolic acidosis is defined as persistently low bicarbonate levels of less than 22 mEq/L in the blood. Metabolic acidoses are categorized as high or normal anion gap based on the presence or absence of unmeasured anions in serum. However, you should not take sodium bicarbonate or sodium citrate pills unless your healthcare team recommends them. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) increases carbon dioxide levels due to reduced oxygen efficiency. The most common cause of a high carbon dioxide level in the blood is high bicarbonate levels due to the use of medications. Metabolic alkalosis can happen from a loss of acid from your body, such as through vomiting and dehydration. In arterial blood, pH was high but bicarbonate levels were normal (pH 7.498, HCO3 25.7 mmol/L, pCO2 30.5 mmHg, PO2 118 mmHg). Carbon dioxide produced by the human body is not a toxin. Before making any dietary changes, speak with your healthcare team. If your bicarbonate is high or low, your doctor will identify and treat the underlying cause. The most common cause of a high carbon dioxide level in the blood is high bicarbonate levels due to the use of medications. This gaseous metabolic byproduct typically exits the body quickly. Metabolic acidosis can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms such as, Vomiting and/or feeling sick to your stomach (nausea). A high level of bicarbonate in your blood can be from metabolic alkalosis, a condition that causes a pH increase in tissue. Scuba divers who practice skip breathing—holding the breath in order to save the air tank's oxygen—experience hypercapnia frequently 1. Neutralizing Excess Bicarbonates From Irrigation Water 2 the pH is above 7.0, we know that the water contains bases but we don't know how much. All the information, content and live chat provided on the site is intended to be for informational purposes only, and not a substitute for professional or medical advice. Severe symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning include unconsciousness, seizures, coma, respiratory arrest and death. Symptoms of high bicarbonate levels Symptoms of high potassium levels Symptoms of high lithium levels Symptoms of high estradiol levels Download Here Free HealthCareMagic App to Ask a Doctor. Once it dissolves into the blood stream, it becomes bicarbonate and is flushed out by the kidneys or carried to the lungs, transformed back into carbon dioxide and exhaled. Depending on the severity of the carbon dioxide poisoning, the individual receives oxygen through an oxygen mask, a ventilator or hyperbaric chamber. The longer the individual goes without treatment, or the longer the exposure is to an external carbon dioxide source, the more severe her symptoms become and the faster her medical condition deteriorates. For example, one water source may have a relatively high pH of 8.4 and yet contain a very low level of bicarbonates. Another water source, with the same pH, may have a very high bicarbonate level. Hyperbaric chambers pressurize oxygen to twice its normal pressure and force oxygen into the body. Doctors give trusted answers on uses, effects, side-effects, and cautions: Dr. Fisher on high bicarbonate levels: Bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate) of 32 mEq is clearly abnormal and should be evaluated by a nephrologist. Severe symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning include unconsciousness, seizures, coma, respiratory arrest and death.