Lean which foods can irritate the bladder and exacerbate OAB symptoms.
When it comes to managing the symptoms of an overactive bladder, what you eat is just as important as how much you drink. Certain foods can irritate the bladder or urinary tract and exacerbate OAB symptoms. Because the effects vary from person to person, people with OAB should experiment with known food enemies of the bladder to see if they make symptoms worse.
Click through the slideshow to see foods that irritate the bladder.
Tomatoes are an acidic food that can irritate the bladder and worsen OAB symptoms. Those who are particularly sensitive should also cut out tomatoes products, such as pasta or pizza sauce, ketchup, and salsa.
The culprit in coffee and tea is caffeine, which has a diuretic effect that can stimulate the bladder. And if there is one thing a person with OAB does not need, it’s a stimulated bladder. Switching to decaf varieties—especially herbal teas—can help, but even some of those contain small amounts of caffeine. Keep that in mind if you are particularly sensitive to caffeine.
Yes, it’s true, and it’s a fact that no sweet-treat lover wants to hear. Like coffee and tea, chocolate also contains caffeine. If you are going to indulge, it’s best to do it earlier in the day, so as to not stimulate the bladder before bedtime. White chocolate usually has less caffeine. You can also try dark chocolate, which contains more cocoa and might satisfy your craving in smaller amounts.
Like tomatoes, citrus fruits—such as oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruits—contain acid, which can irritate the bladder and worsen OAB symptoms. Fruits should still be part of your healthy diet, so try less acid varieties such as apples or bananas. Because everyone reacts differently to foods, you should experiment to see which fruits cause you more trouble.
Along with chocolate and coffee, add adult beverages—beer, wine, and liquor—to the list of vices you should limit if you have an overactive bladder. Alcohol dehydrates you by increasing the amount of urine in your bladder and causing you to go to the bathroom more often. Alcohol also disrupts signals between your brain and your bladder, which can confuse the bladder as to when it’s supposed to empty.
The “fizz” in carbonated beverages—such as soft drinks, soda water, and energy drinks—can stimulate the bladder and trigger OAB symptoms. Drinks with both carbonation and caffeine are extra trouble—as is champagne, which has carbonation and bladder-stimulating alcohol.
The same foods that make your eyes water and burn your lips can also irritate your bladder. Be wary of spicy peppers and sauces; be extra cautious with spicy salsas, which also contain another food on this list—tomatoes. Again, everyone reacts differently. So before cutting out spicy foods completely, you should experiment to see which ones affect you and which ones don’t.
There is some evidence that both artificial and natural sweeteners can irritate the bladder and worsen OAB symptoms. This includes sugar, honey, and corn syrup. As with other foods, you might not have to cut out sugar altogether, but it might be wise to experiment to see if your symptoms lessen when you limit these in your diet.
Processed foods contain a lot of artificial ingredients—flavoring, preservatives, etc.—that can irritate the bladder and worsen the symptoms of OAB. A healthy, balanced should target natural and fresh foods, such as vegetables and whole grains. This is especially true for people who have OAB.
Like spicy and acidic foods, onions can cause bladder problems and increase the urge to urinate. Raw onions are the main culprits, so cooking them before you eat them could reduce the adverse effect they have on the bladder.
Many claim that cranberry juice relieves symptoms of urinary tract infections, but cranberries are acidic and, much like tomatoes and citrus fruits, can irritate the bladder and cause urge incontinence. You might be tempted to try cranberry juice for relieve, but it is more likely to worsen not relieve your symptoms. If you are going to take in fluids, water is your best bet (see next slide).
Conventional wisdom would say that to avoid having the constant urge to urinate, one would drink as little water as possible. But that is not the case. When it comes to water intake and OAB, the word to remember is “balance.” Too much will certainly cause you trouble, but too little will dehydrate you and make your urine more concentrated and acidic, which will irritate your bladder. Your doctor can tell you the right balance, but most experts suggest six 8-ounce glasses per day and limiting intake in the evenings.
Because the effects can be different from person to person, it’s impossible to say for certain that you should or should not avoid each of these foods. A food diary can help you identify which foods cause your symptoms to worsen. The diary should contain the foods you eat, when you ate them, and any symptoms you had after. This will allow you to see any patterns or connections between the foods you eat and your OAB symptoms.
If you've already been diagnosed, here are some more resources to help manage your condition:
