Coffee is a morning staple for many people. And even though it can help wake you up and feel more alert, it may cause some uncomfortable side effects such as jitteriness, anxiety, withdrawal headaches, stomach upset and bladder pain. Bladder irritation upon drinking coffee could be a sign of an underlying medical condition and should be evaluated by your doctor.
Caffeine
The main component that can act as a bladder irritant in coffee is caffeine. It's naturally present in coffee, tea and chocolate, but is also added to other products like medications and sodas. It is a stimulant and increases your feelings of being alert and awake, says the Cleveland Clinic.
Bladder Effects
The caffeine in coffee interferes with the signals sent between your brain and your bladder; it desensitizes the nerves, making it difficult to know you need to urinate. This effect can tax the bladder, causing it to overflow and leak, says Cleveland Clinic. Likewise, coffee is acidic and can irritate the lining of the bladder, which can cause or worsen cystitis, a chronic infection of the bladder, according to the Interstitial Cystitis Network.
Considerations
If you already have a condition like overactive bladder or cystitis, the caffeine in coffee can worsen it and cause irritation in the form of increased urinary frequency and urgency, as well as bladder pain. How much coffee you drink plays an important role in your symptoms, however. A study published in "The Journal of Urology" in 2011 showed that women that consumed 460 mg of caffeine a day, or over 4 cups of coffee, were more likely to suffer from incontinence. Of those that did have incontinence, 25 percent noticed an improvement in their symptoms when coffee was eliminated from their diets.
Reducing the Effects
The easiest way to reduce the effects of coffee on your bladder is to quit drinking it. This may be hard for some, but a reduction of symptoms or complete remission is often well worth it. You may wish to decrease your coffee intake slowly before you quit it to prevent withdrawal symptoms, however.
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