Coffee may be your morning beverage of choice, or you may be wondering whether to add it to your daily diet, but if you suffer from bladder issues, it's better to hold off on that morning cup. Coffee is a bladder irritant and may exacerbate any issues you have with your bladder.
More Than a Simple Liquid
While those struggling with urinary incontinence may focus on their liquid intake, coffee is more than just another form of liquid. It contains caffeine, especially in concentrated form, such as in espresso drinks. MayoClinic.com states that the caffeine in coffee can cause muscles spasms, affecting how your bladder works when containing urine. In addition, coffee acts as a diuretic, increasing your urine volume, which can further irritate your bladder.
May Trigger Other Issues
Coffee may also increase occurrences of cystitis, a common infection of the bladder. The Interstitial Cystitis Network states that drinking coffee may trigger a cystitis infection in some patients who regularly struggle with this condition. They note that not all cystitis sufferers have the same response, however. Some may be able to drink coffee without triggering the condition, others may not be able to tolerate any form of coffee.
May Help With Some Conditions
However, if your bladder control issues are due to multiple system atrophy, also called MSA or Shy-Drager syndrome, drinking coffee may minimize some of your symptoms, according to the MayoClinic.com. They recommend adding coffee to your diet to increase your blood pressure. In addition, the Harvard Medical School's publication "Coffee Health Benefits: Coffee May Protect Against Disease" published in February 2006, states that coffee may help prevent the growth of certain cancers, such as liver, colon, rectal and breast cancer. In addition, it may help protect men, though not women, from the onset of Parkinson's disease. Filtered coffee, not an espresso drink, may also help lower cholesterol. The two compounds in coffee that raise cholesterol are removed when using a normal coffee filter.
Decaffeinated Coffee
Decaffeinated coffee removes the majority of the caffeine in a cup of coffee, but not all. If your bladder is irritated at all by the caffeine in coffee, decaffeinated coffee may still cause cystitis conditions, notes the ICN. In addition, some cystitis sufferers find the acid in coffee is the trigger, not simply the caffeine, so decaffeinated options aren't a good substitute. If acid in coffee is the trigger, the ICN recommends a low-acid coffee or a caffeinated tea as a better choice.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Bladder Control Problems in Women: Lifestyle Strategies for Relief; May 2011
- Interstitial Cystitis Nework: Understanding Diet and IC
- MayoClinic.com; Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) - Lifestyle and Home Remedies; July 2009
- Harvard Medical School; Coffee Health Benefits: Coffee May Protect Against Disease; February 2006
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