ΤHere are some things I just do not want to know — such as the fact that my favorite shelter may not be the best choice because it can irritate my bladder.
Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, DPT, CLT, pelvic floor physiotherapist in Boston, posted a video on TikTok explaining why carbonated water is irritating to the bladder — something she says could “contribute to the urgency and frequency of bladder ». Unsurprisingly, the majority of the 350,000+ viewers of the video were not thrilled to recommend consuming carbonated water (and other non-aqueous beverages) at just 25% of their daily fluid intake for optimal bladder health. But urologists have to agree with her. Drinking selger like water all day, every day is definitely not a good idea.
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It may come as no surprise that coffee and alcohol have made the list of bladder irritants. “Caffeine is probably the most common and worst offender,” says Lamia Gabal, MD, a urologist in Santa Ana, California. “It is a diuretic, so it makes your body produce more urine. Caffeine is also a stimulant of the bladder, so it makes your bladder press harder and in smaller volumes.” And according to Austin DeRosa, MD, urologist and urologist at the UCHealth Cancer Center-Highlands Ranch in Colorado, the same is true of alcohol, spicy and / or acidic foods — even chocolate.
… But what’s wrong with a little sparkling water?
Because Seltzer irritates the bladder, according to a urologist
The problem, according to Dr. DeRosa, is Seltzer’s carbon dioxide content. “The carbon dioxide in sparkling water tends to irritate the lining of the bladder,” he says. “Carbonated drinks do not damage your bladder on their own, but they can exacerbate the underlying symptoms of the bladder.” Thus, taking carbonated water instead of regular water could result in bladder pain and urgency and frequency of urination — especially for someone who already has a sensitive, irritated bladder or emergency symptoms.
If you think your love for Seltzer could affect the health of your bladder, Dr. Gabal says remove it – and other common bladder irritants – from your diet. “Then add things slowly, one at a time, to determine if your bladder is sensitive to those things,” he says. But if you can not spend a day without it, just make sure you do not drink it all of the day. Dr. DeRosa says that if you drink two to three liters of fluid – preferably water – a day, drinking a little selger should not be a big deal.
It is also worth noting that if you are experiencing bladder irritation on a regular basis, the fact that food and drink can work for or against urinary tract health should be welcome news. gives you some control. But both urologists confirm that it is always a good idea to have problems with a urologist or primary care physician. It is literally their job to ensure that people live a life free of bladder irritations. And they can help you do it in a way that you can enjoy all your favorite foods and drinks.
Here’s what a registered dietitian wants to know about spiked seltzer:
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