Ever wondered if the beverage you’re drinking could be causing those trips to the bathroom? Let me explain what liquid bladder irritants are and how to prevent bladder urgency and irritation.
This question came from a client, who reluctantly admitted that she had gotten into the habit of drinking caffeinated diet soda. It started innocently enough, she was a busy mom and felt she needed a boost of energy in the afternoon to keep up with her busy kiddos. But lately she noticed that after drinking the soda she would experience an increase in bladder urgency, was waking up more to go to the bathroom and sometimes felt she could barely make it to the toilet in time. Yikes!
Could there be a link between the two?
As a pelvic health physical therapist (physiotherapist for those outside of the US) I often get asked this question. What she experienced is a reaction to a liquid ‘bladder irritant’ and the diet soda was likely the cause but not for the reason she thought. In this case it was not just the caffeine that caused the problem but also the artificial sweetener in the diet soda.
The combination of caffeine and artificial sweetener in the soda is double the irritation especially if you are a bit dehydrated. A study looked at the effects of different types of soda on bladder habits, this included diet soda, caffeine free diet soda and classic soda. Researchers concluded the effect of the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks caused the most significant bladder issues. It turns out that drinking diet soda or caffeine-free diet soda can significantly increase daytime and nighttime urinary urgency, and frequency over classic soda or even bubble water*.
So what are liquid bladder irritants?
- Acidic juices such as orange, cranberry, and pomegranate juice.
- Soda including caffeine free diet soda, diet soda and classic soda.
- Citrus-based herbal teas.
- Alcoholic beverages including wine, beer and liquor.
- Strong acidic coffee drinks.
- Mineral water or bubble water drinks.
Do I really have to give up my coffee?
Not necessarily, bladder irritants are different for everyone. Some people are more sensitive to acidic drinks and others to the caffeine or artificial sweeteners in beverages. If you suspect a drink may be bothering you try monitoring it with a bladder journal. A free printable is available here or in the resources page on my website.
What if I just cut back on drinking liquids altogether? Will that help?
No, this is the ‘less in, less out’ strategy and as a pelvic health physical therapist I see a lot of clients try this approach to control bladder urgency. Unfortunately this strategy leads to your body being more dehydrated. That in turn makes your urine more dark and concentrated. More concentrated urine means more bladder irritation and more trips to the toilet. So what should I be doing if I find a liquid bladder irritant if bothering me?
The solution is dilution!
I recommend my clients cut back on irritants and increase hydration with plain water. About 6-8 cups per day is all most people need to keep hydration levels up. Once you have your hydration levels up, the bladder irritants are more diluted in your system and less likely to bother your bladder. Phew!
In the case of my client, she took my advice and cut out the diet soda and at our next visit she proudly stated that her bladder problems had gotten better, she estimated by 50% or more. Meaning her trips to the bathroom were much fewer and as a result she was a much happier person.
So the next time you are yearning for a drink that tends to be irritating, try reaching for plain water first. Dilution will go a long way towards decreasing your bladder urgency and you’ll be saving yourself calories and trips to the bathroom!
What do you suspect is causing your bathroom breaks?
Love to hear from you in the comments below! 
Tami Lines is a licensed Physical Therapist with certifications in Pelvic Rehabilitation and Women’s Health Coaching. She is the founder of Pelvic-Health-Matters. Tami has over 15 years of experience with expertise in bladder Health, and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction for adolescent and adult women. She is also a mom of two wonderful young adults working their way through college.
*Cartwright R, Srikrishna s, Cardozo L, et al. Does diet coke cause overactive bladder? A 4-way crossover trial, investigating the effect of carbonated soft drinks on overactive bladder symptoms in normal volunteers. Neurourol Urodyn 2007; 26:626-7 (abstract 19)
