CAN COFFEE CAUSE UTI?. Coffee has been a staple in the… | by VALI Nutrition

Coffee has been a staple in the everyday life of 64 percent of Americans. In fact, coffee has become a morning (even afternoon and good lord — evening) routine for many that the National Coffee Association reported this: Americans have been at the peak of their coffee-loving selves since 2012. [1]

It’s not too hard to fathom why this is so — coffee comes with a whole heap of benefits. From giving you that familiar morning perk, helping you achieve better brain performance, boosting your metabolism and even improving sports performance.

But when you get used to having one too many cups a day, in fact even more than you’re supposed to, then it becomes a double-edged sword. Coffee can also cause adverse effects like migraines, an upset stomach, and the feeling of being tired.

And for some people, drinking coffee is linked to another not-so-pleasant experience — Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

But does coffee really cause UTI?

Urinary Tract Infection or UTI is such a common occurrence that it’s the second most prevalent infection affecting around 8 million people every year. [2]

UTI is “an infection that affects any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra.” [3, 4]

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that 40–60 per cent of women will suffer from it at least once in their lifetime. [5]

Because it’s so common, knowing the signs and symptoms of UTI is key.

Great news to coffee-lovers — coffee does NOT cause UTI.

But if you happen to contract UTI, you might as well avoid it until you treat it completely.

According to Livestrong.com, the caffeine in coffee can make your UTI worse as it causes the bacteria to stick more to your bladder and irritate it at the same time. Plus, because caffeine has a mild diuretic effect (makes you pee), it can just make you go to the toilet more. With UTI, this means more burning sensation while peeing. [6]

And taking in too many diuretics may worsen UTI because it could result in dehydration. In this context, if you’re dehydrated, your pee gets a higher concentration of salts which may irritate your bladder more.

Of course the operative words here are “too much.” WebMD reports that having too many cups of joe may lead to detrusor instability. It means that the bladder contracts involuntary, causing one to rush to the bathroom or worse — random peeing (aka wet one’s pants). [6]

According to a study of over 250 women evaluated for urinary continence, drinking more than four cups of coffee a day increases the likelihood for detrusor instability: [6]

In a study of more than 250 women who were being evaluated for urinary incontinence, researchers from Rhode Island found that those who downed more than four cups of coffee per day were 2.5 times more likely than those who consumed little or no caffeine to have an unstable bladder condition called detrusor instability. Those who drank two to four cups of coffee per day (or the equivalent in other caffeinated beverages) were about 1.5 times more likely to have the condition.

Up to 40 percent of women over 65 may have an unstable bladder problem, as may nearly 30 percent of younger women.

If you want to get rid of UTI fast, the best thing to do is to steer clear of caffeine until you get it treated completely. You may as well avoid coffee, as well as other caffeine products like tea, chocolates, even ice cream.

Hydrate yourself by drinking clear liquids like water and cranberry juice. Livestrong says: [7]

Cranberries are an antioxidant that can help prevent bacteria from sticking to the walls of your bladder. Liquids are important in helping to cleanse and flush your kidneys naturally. Clear liquids can help to dilute your urine, making urination more comfortable.

Apart from drinking clear liquids, there are other ways to get out of this painful situation.

According to the Mayo Clinic, antibiotics are the first line of treatment for UTI. [8] How long the treatment and the specific drugs to take all depend on the severity of the infection.

You could also complement your cranberry intake with probiotics, which are known to help with digestion as well as UTI treatment and prevention. Probiotics also have good bacteria called Lactobacillus, which can replace the bad ones.

Another that works well in both preventing and treating UTI is a simple sugar pretty much like glucose that acts as an antibacterial agent, D-mannose. [9]

According to Livestrong: [10]

“The sugars in D-mannose coat the lining of the urinary tract and bladder as they pass through the body. These sugars not only cover mucus membranes but they surround bacterial cells making it impossible for them to stick to the walls of the bladder or urinary tract. The bacteria remain free floating and are passed out of the body in the urine.”

D-mannose can significantly lower the number of bacteria in the urinary tract and urine within a day. [11] So if you’re suffering from this pesky infection, go ahead and find yourself D-mannose right away!

D-mannose may be found in supplements like VALI D-Mannose UTI Support.

Coffee does NOT cause UTI and you shouldn’t have to give it up just to prevent UTI.

But in unfortunate cases of having to soldier on with this pesky infection, you might as well avoid your regular cup of joe (at least until you treat UTI completely). Drink lots of clear liquids like water and cranberry juice, and combat UTI with antibiotics and D-mannose.

This article may also be found on the VALI website.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-coffee-conference-survey/americans-are-drinking-a-daily-cup-of-coffee-at-the-highest-level-in-six-years-survey-idUSKCN1GT0KU

[2] https://medlineplus.gov/urinarytractinfections.html

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0024568/

[4] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/uti-home-remedies#section1

[5] https://www. niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-infection-uti-in-adults/definition-facts

[6] https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20000721/watch-lattes-too-much-caffeine-may-lead-to-bladder-problems#2

[7] https://www.livestrong.com/article/464671-can-coffee-give-you-a-urinary-tract-infection/

[8] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-tract-infection/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353453

[9] https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/d-mannose-uses-and-risks

[10] https://www.livestrong.com/article/125096-benefits-d-mannose/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4931387/

Too Much Caffeine May Lead to Bladder Problems

July 21, 2000 — Do you live for latte? Crave cola? If you’re a woman, take heed: Researchers say drinking too much caffeine may put some women at risk for a difficult and embarrassing bladder control problem as they age.

In a study of more than 250 women who were being evaluated for urinary incontinence, researchers from Rhode Island found that those who downed more than four cups of coffee per day were 2. 5 times more likely than those who consumed little or no caffeine to have an unstable bladder condition called detrusor instability. Those who drank two to four cups of coffee per day (or the equivalent in other caffeinated beverages) were about 1.5 times more likely to have the condition.

Up to 40% of women over 65 may have the unstable bladder problem, as may nearly 30% of younger women. So, what is it exactly?

“[Detrusor instability] simply means that the bladder contracts involuntarily,” explains urologist Jerry Blaivas, MD. The bladder is made of smooth muscle fibers, which can stretch as it fills and contract to empty it. Blaivas describes the bladder as being like a balloon with a knot tied at the bottom: The knot, or sphincter, opens and closes as needed to let urine out. “When you urinate, the bladder contracts, and the sphincter opens. In detrusor instability, the bladder contracts without your wanting it to — sporadically during the day. ” Stress incontinence, another type of bladder control problem, involves a weakening of the sphincter.

Bladder instability often leads to the need to run for the bathroom, or to embarrassing accidents when urine leaks out without warning.

In an article published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lily A. Arya, MD, and colleagues from Brown University School of Medicine in Providence saydrinking several cups of coffee, tea, or cola a day could increase the risk of bladder instability in women who already have bladder-control problems.

Age also increases the risk of bladder instability. In the study, those who were found to have bladder instability tended to be in their mid-50s, about 10 years older than those without the instability. The researchers also found that the women with bladder instability were more likely to be smokers.

Arya and colleagues say the link between caffeine and detrusor instability may have several explanations, including the possibility that caffeine stimulates the muscles of the bladder, causing them to contract involuntarily.

But there may actually be a simpler explanation, says Blaivas, a professor of urology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and attending surgeon at New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. He points out that caffeine is a diuretic — a substance that increases urine output. So women who drink lots of caffeine-containing drinks make more urine, and use their bladders more, than other women.

Blaivas, who was not involved in the study, tells WebMD that the authors’ advice that women with symptoms of bladder instability cut back on caffeine is worth a try. But he says women with these symptoms typically require treatment that includes pelvic exercises, timed urination, and/or medications.

“The first thing to do is look for a reason why a person would have [bladder instability],” Blaivas says. Causes may include obstructions such as kidney stones or tumors, as well as age-related changes in muscle. “Many times we can use exercises to try to teach you to stop the bladder from contracting.”

7 Reasons You Always Have A UTI & How To Fix The Problem

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can run the gamut from annoying and uncomfortable to downright agonizing — depending on the severity of your infection. You might have burning and itching, or an intense need to urinate, and even lower abdominal pain. And when these symptoms keep coming back, it’s only natural to wonder why you have constant UTIs.

Things can get especially frustrating if you’ve been taking every precaution to prevent the infection from coming back. But the fact of the matter is, some people are simply more likely to get them than others. For example, “due to the shorter urethra […] women are more prone to UTIs than men,” Dr. Tristan Bickman, MD, author and board-certified OB/GYN, tells Bustle.

If you keep getting UTIs, you should definitely let a doctor know so they can suggest the correct form of treatment, which is usually a round of prescribed antibiotics. It can also help to consider how certain lifestyle habits may be playing a role in recurring infections, and make a few changes all in the name of feeling better.

Read on below for a few reasons why you always have a UTI, as well as what you can do about it, according to experts.

1. You Forget To Pee After Sex

Ashley Batz/Bustle

UTIs can crop up after sex, but may be even more likely if you don’t take the time to urinate. And that’s because, as Bickman says, “sexual intercourse can […] cause bacteria to travel close to the urethra and tract to the bladder as well.”

That’s why you’ll want to make it a habit to use the bathroom afterward, in order to flush bacteria out of the urethra so it can’t lead to an infection. And if you’re particularly prone to UTIs, you may even want to take the time to cleanse the vaginal area. As Bickman says, “Cleaning after will wipe away bacteria so less will colonize the vagina and the urethra.”

2. You Wipe From Back To Front

This one may seem like a no brainer, but it’s actually quite common to accidentally wipe from back to front, instead of the preferred front to back. And that can be a problem for anyone, but especially so if you’re prone to UTIs.

As Bickman says, “Wiping back to front can cause bacteria to get to the vaginal tissue and area adjacent to the urethra (the opening to the urinary tract system),” which can again introduce bacteria into the body, and cause a painful infection.

So the next time you’re going to the bathroom, take a moment to see which way you naturally wipe. And if it isn’t front to back, make an effort to break the habit and change your ways.

3. You Use Too many Cleansers

BDG Media, Inc.

Sprays, douches, vaginal cleansers — there’s a pretty long list of products that can go in and around your vaginal area. And while they’re supposed to help you feel “clean” and fresh, all they really do is irritate the area and make you more likely to get a UTI.

“This can interfere with the natural biome and typically acidic pH of the vagina, which helps fight infection and predisposes women to UTIs,” Dr. Chitra Kothari Mittal, PT, MHS, OCS, tells Bustle.

And the same may be true for soaking in a hot bath or using harsh soaps, both of which can cause “dryness at the opening of the bladder, allowing bacteria to enter and cause UTIs,” Dr. Sophie A. Fletcher, MD, urologist for Sutter Medical Group, tells Bustle.

So remember, since the vagina is self-cleaning, it’s just not necessary to use sprays or cleansers down there, not only for the health of your vagina, but also for your health of your urinary tract.

4. You Don’t Drink Enough Water

“One of the worst habits that increases the risk of getting a UTI is not drinking enough water,” Fletcher says. “Drinking water actively flushes the urinary tract. This pushes out bacteria in the bladder which can cause a UTI.”

So if you keep getting UTIs, think about how much water you drink throughout the day. According to Mayo Clinic, you’ll know you’re getting enough and are properly hydrated if you don’t feel thirsty, and if your urine is colorless or light yellow in appearance.

5. You Don’t Pee Often Enough

WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock

If you’re in the habit of holding in urine for long periods of time — maybe because you’re too comfortable in bed and don’t want to get up, or too busy at work and aren’t making the time — it can increase your risk of UTI.

While momentarily convenient, holding pee for too long “leads to urinary stasis in the bladder,” urologist Dr. Anika Ackerman, MD, tells Bustle. “Bacteria are able to accumulate and flourish causing a urinary tract infection.”

6. You Don’t Empty Your Bladder

Ashley Batz/Bustle

It’s important to pee whenever you need to, instead of holding it and waiting until later. And the same is true for completely emptying your bladder.

“Whenever you have the urge to go, it is important to empty the bladder completely to eliminate any potential accumulation of bacteria,” Ackerman says.

Again, this will help flush out any bacteria from the urethra, and make it less likely that you’ll develop a UTI.

7. You Don’t Use Lubricated Condoms

While it’s obviously great that to use condoms during sex, if you’re prone to UTIs, you may want to make sure they’re the lubricated kind. “Using unlubricated condoms during intercourse causes friction, which can lead to inflammation,” Dr. Roberto Contreras II, MD, tells Bustle. “Inflammation can in turn lower your immune systems defenses and make you more susceptible to getting a UTI.”

If any of these habits sounds familiar, it may help explain why you keep getting UTIs. But the good news is, it’s often not too difficult to make a few changes to your routine, and lower your risk of infection.

This post was originally published on 3/22/2016. It was updated on 6/7/2019.

This article was originally published on March 22, 2016

Does instruction to eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages improve lower urinary tract symptoms: A Prospective Trial

J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 Jan 1.

Published in final edited form as:

PMCID: PMC4799659

NIHMSID: NIHMS730874

, PhD, RN, APRN,¹, BA,¹, MSW, RN,¹, MS,¹ and , MD²

Janis M. Miller

¹400 N. Ingalls, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48100-5482

Caroline E. Garcia

¹400 N. Ingalls, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48100-5482

Sarah Becker Hortsch

¹400 N. Ingalls, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48100-5482

Ying Guo

¹400 N. Ingalls, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48100-5482

Megan O. Schimpf

²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Urogynecology, University of Michigan

¹400 N. Ingalls, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48100-5482

²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Urogynecology, University of Michigan

Corresponding/reprints author: Janis Miller, PhD, APRN, FAAN, Associate Professor and Research Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, 400 N. Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, Phone (734) 764-4545 Fax (734) 615-1666, ude.hcimu@mmsinaj

Ying Guo was a graduate student at the University of Michigan at the time of this study

See other articles in PMC that cite the published article.

Abstract

Purpose

Common advice for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) of frequency, urgency and related bother includes elimination of potentially irritating beverages (coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated and/or artificially sweetened beverages). The purpose of this study was to determine compliance with standardized instruction to eliminate these potentially irritating beverages, whether LUTS improved after instruction, and if symptoms worsened with partial reintroduction.

Design

The three-phase fixed sequence design was: 1) baseline, 2) eliminate potentially irritating beverages listed above, and 3) reintroduce at 50% of baseline volume, with a washout period between each 3-day phase. We asked participants to maintain total intake volume by swapping in equal amounts of non-potentially irritating beverages (primarily water).

Subjects and Setting

The study sample comprised 30 community-dwelling women recruited through newspaper advertisement.

Methods

Quantification measures included 3-day voiding diaries and detailed beverage intake, and LUTS questionnaires completed during each phase.

Results

During Phase 2, we found significant reduction in potentially irritating beverages but complete elimination was rare. Despite the protocol demands, total beverage intake was not stable; mean (± standard deviation) daily total intake volume dropped by 6.2±14.9oz (p=0.03) during Phase 2. In Phase 3, the volume of total beverage intake returned to baseline, but intake of potentially irritating beverages also returned to near baseline rather than 50% as requested by protocol. Despite this incomplete adherence to study protocols, women reported reduction in symptoms of urge, inability to delay voiding, and bother during both phases (p≤0.01). The number of voids per day decreased on average by 1. 3 and 0.9 voids during phases 2 and 3 respectively (p=0.002 and p=0.035).

Conclusions

Education to reduce potentially irritating beverages resulted in improvement in LUTS. However, eliminating potentially irritating beverages was difficult to achieve and maintain. Study findings do not allow us to determine if LUTS improvement was attributable to intake of fewer potentially irritating beverages, reduced intake of all beverages, the effect of self-monitoring, or some combination of these factors.

Keywords: overactive bladder, bladder irritants, incontinence, lower urinary tract symptoms, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, women

Introduction

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) including urinary urgency, voiding frequency and related bother, with or without incontinence, were reported in 30% of women in a recent community-based study.¹ Frequency (defined as 8 or more voids per day²) and urgency are associated with anxiety, reduced health related quality of life, and depression.³

There is general agreement among health professionals and the public that certain beverages act as bladder irritants. Community-dwelling women accessing web-based information even from respected organizations such as the National Association for Continence⁴ and the Mayo Clinic⁵ will readily find advice to reduce coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated and artificially sweetened beverages. We will refer to these in total as “potentially irritating beverages” (PIBs).

Despite the widespread notion that PIBs intake is associated with LUTS, evidence to either support or refute the efficacy of this behavioral intervention is scant. We tested the effects of instructing women to eliminate PIBs for the purpose of reducing LUTS. We also tested whether LUTS resume with reintroduction of PIBs. Specifically, in a pre- and post-test design, we tested the following hypotheses: 1) LUTS are significantly reduced as measured by 3-day diaries (primary outcome) and questionnaires (secondary outcome) after women view a DVD instructing them to eliminate PIBs from their diets and 2) LUTS (measured via voiding diary and questionnaires) increase with reintroduction of PIBs at half the woman’s baseline volume.

Methods

We employed a 3-phase fixed sequence design (). An instructional DVD, detailed below, introduced participants to expectations for each phase including when reminder information would be provided. In Phase 1, participants were asked to complete a 3-day beverage intake and bladder habits diary along with symptom questionnaires, reflecting usual (baseline) beverage intake patterns. During Phase 2, participants was asked to document LUTS while completely eliminating of PIBs. During Phase 3, participants were asked to document LUTS while reducing their baseline intake of PIBs by 50%. To keep total intake volume consistent during the three phases, participants were to swap in non-PIBs (mostly water). A 4-day wash-out period was introduced between each of the 3-day study phases so that participants could have a break from the tedious effort of daily diary recording. Participants were told that this was a rest period from the study and that they could drink whatever they wanted during the 4 days between baseline Phase 1 recording and Phase 2 recording, and between Phase 2 recording and Phase 3 recording.

Study Sample

We recruited community-dwelling women through a newspaper advertisement. We chose community-dwelling women rather than patients presenting for care because our target population was women accessing information available to the public, regardless of whether they had sought counselling from a health care provider. Initial screening occurred by telephone; women were invited to participate in the study if they reported consuming a daily intake of ≥32 ounces total beverages and ≥16 ounces of PIBs. We chose the screening threshold of ≥32 ounces total beverage intake to avoid concern for dehydration should total volume not be maintained over the study. We chose the screening cut point of ≥16 ounces/day of PIBs as a compromise between needing to show intervention-related reduction in PIBs intake and being inclusive in sampling women who consume any PIBs.

Additional inclusion criteria included answering “yes” to 2 of the following 3 questions: “Do you experience frequent urination, defined as greater than 8 times per day or 2 times at night?”, “Do you experience frequent (greater than every 2 waking hours) strong feelings of urgency to empty your bladder?”, and “Do you experience frequent (routinely >2 times) night-time urination?” We based the wording of these questions on the 2002 International Continence Society (ICS) definitions of urinary frequency and urgency.⁶

We excluded women who were currently pregnant, <12 months postpartum, breastfeeding, had a history of vaginal or bladder-related surgery, or taking diuretic medications. We also excluded women with the following medical conditions: diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or spinal cord injury. Women with current symptoms of dysuria or a history of frequent urinary tract infections (defined as >4/year) were excluded. We excluded men as our intended population of community dwelling adults with LUTS was likely to include men in the latter half of their fifth decade and above, when the common condition of prostate gland enlargement might confound the outcome variables of frequency. Study procedures were reviewed and approved by IRBMED, University of Michigan: HUM00050865. All participants signed an informed consent document.

Study Instruments

We adapted a traditional bladder diary format to provide more granular detail for beverage consumption (Appendix 1). Briefly, women recorded the following information daily for 3 consecutive days: time of beverage intake, type of beverage intake (in detail) and volume consumed, time of voids, voided volume, number of incontinence episodes, time to bed and time awake.

During each phase of the study, participants also completed 3 brief questionnaires on LUTS. This first was a visual analog scale that assessed urinary urgency for each day a voiding diary was completed. This urgency scale was adapted from Bower and colleagues. They used the question “Whenever I need to go to the toilet I can…” and offered 5 response options presented equidistantly on a 10 unit undemarcated line. The response options were: 1)make the wee go away, 2) easily hold on, 3) wait a little while, 4) hardly wait, and 5) feel wee already coming out.”.⁷ We replaced the term “wee” with the terms “urine” or “urge” and treated the options as an ordered 5-point choice rather than as an equidistant labeling on a 10-unit scale, for cultural relevancy and improved face validity on response to pilot testing in our setting. The question was placed on the 3-day diary at the end of each day’s recording, for each phase of the study.

The OAB-q is a reliable and valid measure used to differentiate between normal and clinically diagnosed continent and incontinent participants with LUTS⁸. It was administered to assess symptom bother and health-related quality of life associated with a variety of different LUTS. The original instrument includes 33 items, but we used only the first eight questions that pertained to bother, and which are designed to be scored separately. We modified the 8 questions by changing the introductory phrase “During the past 4 weeks, how bothered were you by…” to “During the past 3 days, how bothered were you by…” to characterize the bother of LUTS under the 3-day conditions of each phase

Women were also asked at the end of the 3-day diary logging, during each phase, to evaluate their ability to delay voiding that day. This modified grading bladder fullness scale is an ordinal scale with different time-lengths of ability to delay relative to desire to void. The scale was modified from one suggested in a study performed by De Wachter and Wyndaele.⁹ We modified by replacing the word “voiding” with the word “urinating,” to render the responses more relevant to participants, and we made slight adjustments to wording and time increments for clarity and logic (Appendix 2).

Study Procedures

Descriptive data, including age, height, weight, race, parity, education, and yearly income were collected. Baseline diary and symptom questionnaires were also obtained. These baseline measures, as well as repeated measures of diary and symptom questionnaires for each phase of the study, were distributed and returned via US mail. Each woman received a plastic container (sometimes referred to as a “Texas hat”) for measuring voided urine.

These community-dwelling women were provided with an instructional DVD about study procedures and expectations. The DVD contained a voice-over slide presentation, which played like a video. It was 34 slides long and required about 30 minutes to view. Two of the 34 slides were devoted to defining “potentially irritating beverages,” which in this study we described as coffee (even decaf), tea (even decaf), alcohol, carbonated, and artificially sweetened beverages. The remainder of the slides included a welcome slide, background and study purpose, extensive “tips and tricks” for accurate recording on the diary and the location and importance of the questionnaires. The DVD standardized the instruction to remove the potential for bias that comes from extensive nurse contact at face-to-face visits, and to offer convenience for the participants. An added advantage was that women were able to refer back to their DVD at any time throughout the study if they desired a review of instructions. Participants were given the option of viewing the presentation in our office if preferred (for instance, if they did not have computer access or a DVD player). One participant requested this option.

After completion of the Phase 1, a study investigator examined each voiding diary, calculated the amount of PIBs and non-PIBs consumed, and provided individualized mailed instruction to each participant on the desired PIBs and overall fluid consumption during the next two study phases. Participants were asked to complete diaries on the same 3 days of the week for each phase so that typical habits reflective of specific days would be consistent throughout the study period. We also asked women to record an output volume in the diary for every void, even if they did not void into the container provided. We further instructed them to note that it was an estimate in a column labeled for this, rather than leaving that as missing data (appendix A). Women were reimbursed for each completed phase of the study for a possible total of $70.

Data Analysis

Diary data were reduced such that there was a mean 3-day score for each diary variable at each time period. For example, for the urgency visual analogue scale was assessed each day of the 3-day diary⁷ but the average of the 3 days was used as the score across that phase. Differences between study phases were evaluated using paired 2-sample t-tests were used for variables with a normal distribution and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests for variables that were not normally distributed. We used the Bland and Altman measures of agreement graphical methods to portray variance from protocol to maintain total beverage intake or to reduce intake at the appropriate study intervals.¹⁰ Statistical Analysis Software version 9.3 (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC) was used for most of the statistical analysis, and SPSS (IBM, Armonk, New York) was used for other selected data management and analysis procedures. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Eighty-six women were screened and 35 were enrolled into the study. Five were excluded from the final analyses for various screening or protocol violations discovered during the later data analysis procedures. Analysis was based on data from 30 women. Their mean age was 57.5±10.2 years (mean ± SD) and 90.0% identified themselves as Caucasian (). Baseline beverage diary data showed that all met enrollment criteria for PIB consumption (>16oz/day). No woman in this study reported juice as her only potentially irritating beverage.

Table 1

Participant Characteristics

At baseline, average total daily beverage intake was 74.7±26.1 ounces, with PIBs accounting for 63.3±39.3 ounces (85% of total) (). Despite instructions otherwise, the total fluid volume intake over all diary days of the study was not stable. During Phase 2, when women were instructed to avoid consuming any PIBs, diaries showed wide variability in intake volume. Specifically, the total beverage intake was reduced by a mean of 6.2 ounces, which was significantly lower than Phase 1 (p=0.03) and Phase 3 (p=0.02). During Phase 3, total beverage intake was essentially equal to Phase 1, but again variability was noted between individual diaries. The Bland and Altman scatter plot and accompanying measures of agreement analysis () showed that any individual woman in the study might vary her total beverage intake by 20 ounces or more from phase to phase (nearly 30 ounces from Phase 1 to Phase 2), despite being requested to maintain a steady intake volume.

a and b: Bland and Altman plots showing percent change of potentially irritating beverages compared to baseline. The horizontal line portrays the protocol expectation for each phase). At Phase 2 when all potentially irritating beverages should have been eliminated (−100% on the graph), instead several women showed very little change and some ranged up to nearly 200% above baseline (Fig A). At Phase 3, when potentially irritating beverages by protocol should have been down by half (−50% on the graph) from baseline, again a substantial number of women showed little behavioral change or even up to 200% above baseline in one case (Fig B).

Table 2

Results of symptoms and bladder habits at baseline (Phase 1), on attempt at complete elimination of potentially irritating beverages (Phase 2), and on attempt to reintroduce potentially irritating beverages at ½ of baseline (Phase 3).

Although women were instructed to entirely eliminate PIBs during Phase 2, PIB intake was still on average 38.0 ounces per day, which was a reduction of 25.3 ounces per day from baseline (). Eight participants reported increasing their intake, one participant did not change her intake volume, five complied with 100% elimination of PIBs, and the remaining 17 women decreased PIB intake to varying degrees (). There was no relationship between reducing PIBs during Phase 2 and original PIB intake volume, as shown in a plot of individual data in .

Participants were individually instructed on how to add back 50% of their personal baseline PIBs intake during Phase 3. Nevertheless, they experienced difficulty achieving this goal, and 11 women (37%) did not reduce the amount of PIBs from baseline at all. Overall, women reported a mean 15% reduction in PIB consumption rather than the requested 50% (, ).

Despite incomplete adherence to the protocol, the greatest reduction in LUTS was achieved during Phase 2, when PIB consumption was lowest (). When compared to their baseline (Phase 1) self-reported urinary urgency (p=0.0003), ability to delay voiding (p<0.0001) and bother scores (p=0.0007) improved significantly during Phase 2. In addition, the mean daily voided volume was reduced by 6.7±20.8 ounces; this change was consistent with a decrease in total beverage intake. Nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant compared to baseline, (p=0.09). The number of voids per day in Phase 2 was significantly reduced compared to Phase 1 (10.5 voids vs. 9.2 voids, p=0.002), but it was not different from Phase 3.

When participants were asked to add back some PIBs during Phase 3, there was still a significant reduction in LUTS compared to baseline (). During this phase, total beverage intake volume was similar to baseline (p=0.1), while the improvements in bladder function demonstrated at Phase 2 were maintained. The number of voids/day continued to be significantly lower than baseline (10.5 voids compared to 9.6 voids; p=0.04). Total voided volume was also significantly reduced by 5.6 ounces (p=0.04) relative to baseline. Symptom scores for urgency, ability to delay voiding and degree of bother were all significantly improved compared to baseline ().

Comparing Phases 2 and 3, women consumed more total beverages and more PIBs in Phase 3 than Phase 2. Voided volume and number of voids per day were similar in the two phases (). Bother scores did show a significant worsening from Phase 2 to Phase 3 (p=0.04), although both phases were improved compared to baseline.

Discussion

This feasibility study evaluated the effects on LUTS of two different intake volumes of PIBs, none or half of baseline consumption, while holding total beverage intake constant by swapping in primarily plain water. While we noted LUTS improvement with PIB reduction, truly eliminating PIBs proved difficult for a majority of study participants. As a result, we cannot yet conclude if the improvement we noted was from fewer PIBs, reduced total intake of beverages, the effect of self-monitoring bladder habits, or some combination of these.

Complete elimination of PIBs was not achieved by many women in this study. We therefore recommend that clinicians carefully consider the difficulty of achieving and adhering to PIB elimination as a treatment strategy. We did not specifically analyze reasons for lack of adherence to PIB and overall fluid intake, so we can only speculate about the numerous possible reasons women were unable to eliminate PIBs. Many PIBs are habit-forming^{11, 12}, and many social events are tied to PIB intake. As a result, persons may find it difficult to avoid consuming a cup of coffee at a meeting or an alcoholic beverage as when participating in an after-work social gathering. Based on these considerations, we believe that partial elimination of PIBs may be a more feasible goal. Women still improved in our study when average PIBs intake was reduced to almost half of their initial intake, making this still a reasonable treatment option. The cultural, societal, familial, biological and other influence on PIB intake are an important future area of future investigation.

We observed wide variability in daily fluid intake across the study phases, despite instructions to try to maintain the same cumulative volume of beverage intake. Multiple reasons may account for this variability, including physical activity levels, weather conditions, and their effects on thirst.

While women’s LUTS improved based on group averages at both study phases, variability in the concentration of certain ingredients or in total amount of irritating substances in these beverages renders it impossible to draw conclusions about the relationship of LUTS to each specific substances or the cumulative amount consumed. All we can determine from this 3-phase study design is that following instruction to reduce total amount of PIBs while swapping in non-PIB alternatives, while recording intake, output and LUTS women achieved reductions in LUTS. [0]Our findings were confounded by inconsistent protocol compliance across the women and wide variability in concentration or total amount of potentially irritating substances in these commonly consumed beverages.

While the effect of various PIBs on LUTS is clinically relevant, we cannot draw conclusions based on specific ingredients of each PIB. For example, we did not assess the type and strength of coffees consumed. Similarly, findings from this study cannot differentiate which of the multiple ingredients in a diet cola that may act as a bladder irritant, considering it is carbonated, caffeinated, artificially sweetened, and acidic. We hope to study this interesting question in future work.

There are pros and cons to the various study designs and protocols available. A laboratory study that rigorously controls participants’ intake would offer more precise determination of ingredients and control for overall intake volume. However, since LUTS are driven by the social environment, evaluation of these environmentally triggered symptoms (e.g. urgency on arrival home) poses a validity issue. A community-based study that limits ingredients by providing pre-packaged standardized amounts of an ingredient of interest is a feasible and likely worthwhile design, but does not reflect the reality of our complex beverage-choice environment and is unlikely to provide real-world clinical treatment guidance. A randomized controlled trial asking participants in the intervention group to eliminate all PIBs is a logical next step and has the advantage of a control group who is equally exposed to the simple learnings that can occur from self-monitoring, such as awareness of how much one is actually drinking. However, since we do not yet fully understand the reasons for lack of compliance to PIB reduction, it seems logical to initiate investigation with real-life, qualitative work to learn more about this phenomenon. Clearly, the data from our study show that reliance on simple instruction to “eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, and carbonated beverages” is not adequate motivation for women to do so. This area is also worthy of further investigation.

A relationship between PIBs such as the ones measured in our study and LUTS has been demonstrated in prior studies, but many of these studies have focused only on caffeine. In one study, mean dietary caffeine intake of women with detrusor overactivity on cystometry was significantly higher than that of women without detrusor overactivity.¹³ Total beverage intake and bladder capacity were not reported. Other studies link a decrease in caffeine consumption to reduction in LUTS. A recent pilot study of 11 women demonstrated a reduction in urgency and frequency, quality of life and bladder symptoms in general while drinking decaffeinated drinks compared to when they drank caffeinated beverages¹⁴. In a study by Bryant and colleagues, 26 adult participants who routinely consumed at least 100 mg of caffeine per day were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group.¹⁵ All participants received education about bladder training, but participants in the control group continued caffeine intake, while the intervention group received additional education on caffeine reduction. The intervention group achieved a significant reduction in daily episodes of leakage. It is unclear if other beverages were substituted for caffeine, so symptom reduction could have resulted from a decrease in total volume intake.

The biochemical mechanism of how caffeine contributes to LUTS is unclear, but does not appear to be the same in all women. This was supported by a study in which a standardized drink of caffeine was associated with a rise in bladder pressure only in a group of women with detrusor overactivity compared to asymptomatic women.¹⁶ It can be hypothesized that caffeine is perhaps metabolized differently in symptomatic women, or that some other factor predisposes symptomatic women to bladder symptoms when exposed to caffeine. Nevertheless, our knowledge of these mechanisms are not entirely understood, as another study showed. In that cohort, decreasing overall beverage intake significantly improved LUTS, but decreasing caffeine intake did not result in significant improvement when replacing caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated drinks.¹⁷

The question of different PIBs affecting LUTS differently is a fascinating one that additionally merits further work. If different PIBs have different effects on symptoms, this would be welcome and germane information to patients. This is suggested in a recent study that showed that women who increased consumption of coffee or soda, especially diet soda, experienced an increase in LUTS.¹⁸

We also included as PIBs those containing alcohol and artificial sweeteners. Data concerning sugar substitutes in humans are limited, but laboratory studies have shown that ascorbic acid and citric acid augment bladder muscle contraction via a hypothesized enhanced calcium ion influx.¹⁹ Three artificial sweeteners, acesulfame K, aspartame, and sodium saccharin have been evaluated using isolated animal detrusor specimens and found to stimulate the contractile response of bladder muscle and significantly enhance contractions.

The strengths of our study, which is one of the only of its kind studying this important clinical recommendation, include enrolling community-dwelling women who may be amenable to modification of PIBs versus treatment with drugs or other interventions with a higher likelihood of side effects. We used diaries to minimize recall bias, and we had good compliance with diary recording throughout the 3 phases of the study. We believe this was partially due to the provided detailed instruction and “tips and tricks” on easing the burden of the diary recording in the standardized educational slideshow. Diary recording is a burden for patients, and hence we abided by recommendations of only three days at a time, followed by four days of non-recording.²⁰ While this likely did ease the burden on study participants, it raises other interesting potential implications as the “wash-out period” most likely included increased PIB intake compared to the study phases, likely skewing results of the first diary day of each study period. This supported using an average value of the three study periods for our data interpretations. The trade-off of preventing recording fatigue was important to preserve subject completion of the study.

Limitations

Our three phase study design limited our ability to make causal inferences. Whether a DVD-based slide show delivery of information is the best method of study instruction is unknown, as are the many social factors discussed above regarding societal encouragement of PIB consumption. While our diary permitted the collection of a large amount of discrete data, the intensive self-monitoring that occurs with use of intake-output diaries acted as intervention. Translating this into clinical practice is always complex, and we tried to mitigate the artificial environment of a study versus real-world clinical care by keeping the study period short, providing tips on PIBs substitution and allowing subjects the washout period. All of these factors, however, are also limitations. We do not know from this study whether the length of the intervention influenced the outcomes, nor in what direction. We also do not know how the washout period influenced the outcomes. It is one thing to commit to a 3-day period of limiting PIBs, but quite another to do so for the duration.

We recommend that future studies better document specific PIBs and sweetener intake to improve counseling about specific PIBs. Compliance on counselling women about giving up sweeteners versus caffeine, for example, may increase if women are allowed to keep one or the other. Additionally, PIBs are not only found in beverages. We did not measure the presence of sweeteners in food, such as yogurt. We did not collect data on reasons why so many of our participants were unable to eliminate PIBs, and recommend future investigation into the barriers of changing this intake pattern in future studies.

Additionally, given the primarily Caucasian and well-educated demographics of our sample, our current results cannot be generalized to the broader public. Future studies will ideally include a wide range of demographic backgrounds.

Conclusions

Findings from this study supports instructing women to reduce PIBs to improve LUTS. Nevertheless, the reasons why reduction in PIB intake alleviates LUTS remain unclear. LUTS improvement observed in this study may result from changing the type of beverages consumed, changing overall volume of beverages consumed, or some combination of these factors. We believe that findings from this feasibility study set the stage for additional research. In addition, we believe that the data collection tool used in this study offers a level of precision previously not available to clinicians or researchers interested in the relationship between PIB consumption and LUTS.

Acknowledgments

Funding sources:

This project was funded by The Michigan Center for Health Intervention, University of Michigan School of Nursing, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Nursing Research (P30 NR009000-01). Additional investigator support was provided through the Office for Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health and National Institute on Child and Human Development (NICHD) (Grant #P50 HD044406)).

Appendix 1

Three-day diary (last page shown)

Appendix 2

Over the past 3 days, when you urinated, what was your usual perception of your bladder fullness? (Adapted with permission from De Wachter & Wyndaele)⁸

Footnotes

Conflict of Interest: None of the authors have a conflict of interest.

References

1. Coyne KS, Sexton CC, Bell JA, et al. The prevalence of (LUTS) and overactive bladder (OAB) by racial/ethnic group and age: results from OAB-POLL. Neurourol Urodyn. 2013;32(3):230–237. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]2. Haylen BT, Freeman RM, Swift SE, et al. An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related directly to the insertion of prostheses (meshes, implants, tapes) and grafts in female pelvic floor surgery. Neurourol Urodyn. 2011;30(1):2–12. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]3. Milsom I, Kaplan SA, Coyne KS, et al. Effect of bothersome overactive bladder symptoms on health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression, and treatment seeking in the United States: results from EpiLUTS. Urology. 2012;80(1):90–96. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]6. Abrams P, Cardozo L, Fall M, et al. The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002;187(1):116–126. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]7. Bower WF, Moore KH, Adams RD. A pilot study of the home application of transcutaneous neuromodulation in children with urgency or urge incontinence. J Urol. 2001;166:2420–2422. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]8. Coyne K, Revickil D, Hunt T, et al. Psychometric validation of an overactive bladder symptom and health-related quality of life questionnaire: the OAB-q. Qual Life Res. 2002;11(6):563–574. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]9. De Wachter S, Wyndaele JJ. Frequency-volume charts: A tool to evaluate bladder sensation. Neurourol Urodyn. 2003;22:638–642. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]10. Bland JM, Altman DG. Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet, I. :307–310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]11. Alati R, Betts KS, Williams GM, Najman JM, Hall WD. Generational Increase in Young Women’s Drinking: A Prospective Analysis of Mother-Daughter Dyads. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014;71(8):952–957. Published online June 25, 2014. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]12. Griffiths RR, Woodson PP. Caffeine physical dependence: a review of human and laboratory animal studies. Psychopharmacology. 1988;94:437–451. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]13. Arya LA, Myers DL, Jackson ND. Dietary caffeine intake and the risk for detrusor instability: A case-control study. Obstet Gynecol. 2000;96(1):85–89. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]14. Wells MJ, Jamieson K, Markham TCW, Green SM, Fader MJ. The effect of caffeinated versus decaffeinated drinks on overactive bladder: A double-blind, randomized, crossover study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2014;41(4):371–378. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]15. Bryant CM, Dowell CJ, Fairbrother G. Caffeine reduction education to improve urinary symptoms. Br J Nurs. 2002;11(8):560–565. (2002) [PubMed] [Google Scholar]16. Creighton SM, Stanton SL. Caffeine: Does it affect your bladder? British Journal of Urology. 1990;66:613–614. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]17. Swithinbank L, Hashim H, Abrams P. The effect of fluid intake on urinary symptoms in women. J Urol. 2005;174:187–189. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]18. Maserejian NN, Wager CG, Giovannucci EL, Curto TM, McVary KT, McKinlay JB. Intake of caffeinated, carbonated, or citrus beverage types and development of lower urinary tract symptoms in men and women. Am J Epidemiol. 2013;177(12):1399–1410. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]19. Dasgupta J, Elliott RA, Tincello DG. Modification of rat detrusor muscle contraction by ascorbic acid and citric acid involving enhanced neurotransmitter release and Ca²⁺ influx. Neurourol Urodyn. 2009;28:542–548. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Bladder irritants | University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

What you eat and drink, certain medicine you take, and some medical conditions can affect your bladder. Here are some ways to decrease known bladder irritants as well as suggest good bladder health habits. The goal is to lessen any urinary urgency, frequency, and urinary incontinence and/or discomfort.

Diet

Many foods and drinks can cause bladder irritation. This can be from the amount or type of a food or beverage that you eat or drink. High acid food or drink and caffeine may irritate the lining of the bladder or upset the nervous system that controls the bladder and bowel.

Do not drink:

• Any caffeinated drinks, such as:
  • Coffee (regular and decaf)
  • Tea
  • Soda/pop/colas (regular and decaf)
• Alcohol (beer, wine and liquor)
• Carbonated beverages, such as:
  • Sodas/pop/colas (diet and regular)
  • Carbonated water
• Fruit juices
  • Apple
  • Cranberry
  • Citrus fruits, like orange or grapefruit

Do not drink large amounts of fluids.

• You should drink 6 to 8 cups (8 ounce glasses) of fluid a day. 
• If you drink more than that, know that what goes in must go out.

Do not eat:

• Chocolate
• Nutrasweet™and other artificial sweeteners
• Stimulants
• Vitamin B complex
• Vitamin C
• Acidic food such as:
  • Spicy foods, vinegar, pepper, chili, and chilies
  • Citrus fruits like:
    • Orange
    • Grapefruit
    • Lemon
    • Lime
  • Fruits such as:
    • Apples
    • Cranberries
    • Pineapple
    • Peaches
    • Strawberries
    • Tomatoes
    • Mango
    • Plums
    • Grapes
    • Guava
    • Cantaloupes

Better choices

Instead of some foods and drinks you can try:

• Eat pears, apricots, papaya, and watermelon instead of acidic fruits.            
• Drink Kava (low-acid instant coffee), Cold Brew from Starbucks or Pero coffee.
• Drink non-citrus herbal and sun brewed tea.
• Drink calcium carbonate co-buffered with calcium ascorbate instead of Vitamin C.

Coffee and caffeine

• Getting rid of coffee and caffeine can be hard.
• You can choose to wean yourself slowly by cutting back 1 cup a day.
  • Stay at that amount for 3 days.
  • Then cut back again by 1 more cup for 3 days.
  • Do this until you have gotten rid of drinking any coffee or caffeine.
• You can also choose to stop drinking coffee or caffeine “cold turkey.” 
  • People can have low energy, be upset faster, and have a throbbing headache that can last up to 72 hours when they stop caffeine.
  • You want to give yourself a 3-day weekend without many pressing responsibilities to rid caffeine from your diet. 
• If you have a headache, you can treat it with a non-caffeinated aspirin.
  • Do not take Excedrin. It has caffeine. 
• Coffee can also be a laxative for many people. When you stop drinking coffee, you may need to take other measures to keep from getting constipated.
  • Make sure you get plenty of fluid and exercise.
  • You may want to add fiber and/or prune juice to your diet.

Using a strict diet

• If your bladder symptoms are due to your eating and drinking, a strict diet that gets rid of the products listed can give you relief in 10 days.
• Once your symptoms get better, you can add things back in.
  • Do this one at a time. 
  • This way if something does cause you to have more symptoms, you will be able to tell which product is the problem.
• When you do start to add foods back, you need to keep drinking the 6 to 8 glasses of 8 ounce glasses of fluids a day.
• If you follow the strict diet for 10 days and do not have any changes in your symptoms, your problem may not be due to diet and you can go back to your normal eating habits.

Stop or lessen your smoking

• Nicotine is a bladder irritant as well as bad for your lungs, raising your risk of cancer, and bad for your general health.
• No amount of smoking is healthy or safe.
• Call the Quitline Iowa at 1-877-777-6534 or contact your primary care provider if you need help quitting. Ask us if you have questions.

Medicines and medical conditions

• Medicines such as diuretics (“water pills”) for high blood pressure cause you to “get rid” of fluid that your body is keeping. 
• If you take a diuretic, it will make your bladder fill up quickly and then you will need to pee more often. 
  • For some women, after taking the medicine, they stay close to a bathroom and pee more often to lower leakage. 
  • Do not take this type of medicine at bedtime. You will need to get up often during the night to pee.
• Certain medicines or medical conditions may cause you to have a dry mouth or become thirstier. 
  • Try to limit the amount of fluids that you drink a few hours before you go to bed. 
  • Ask us about ways to lessen dry mouth if you have a problem.
• If you have leg swelling, you can elevate (raise) your legs. The fluid from the swelling will go into your circulation and then into your bladder. 
• You can lower the number of times that you have to get up at night to pee if you:
  • Raise your legs a couple of hours before you go to bed
  • Wear compression stockings to lower swelling

Can Coffee Irritate the Bladder?

Close-up of a woman pouring a cup of coffee.

Image Credit: Helmut Seisenberger/iStock/Getty Images

If you experience bladder pain, frequent or urgent urination, or urinary incontinence, everything from your social life to your ability to get a good night’s sleep can be negatively affected. Coffee can trigger bladder irritation due to its often acidic composition, in addition to its diuretic effects. Particularly if you have an underlying bladder or urinary condition, consult a doctor for help regarding bladder irritation.

Interstitial Cystitis

Regular and decaffeinated types of coffee are designated as likely bladder irritants by the Interstitial Cystitis Network. Interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome, is a chronic condition that typically continues over a period of years. Its symptoms may flare or worsen periodically, and the Interstitial Cystitis Network indicates certain foods and drinks can aggravate or calm a flareup. Herbal coffees, or low-acid versions of decaffeinated coffee, are suggested as less likely than regular coffee to irritate your bladder.

Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, tend to occur over a relatively short period of time, and are usually cleared up with antibiotic medications. During a UTI, patients commonly experience bladder irritation, painful urination and sensations of urgency and frequency. Elderly populations and women of all ages are at a relatively high risk of experiencing UTIs. Drinking coffee during a UTI can increase symptoms of bladder pain and irritation. If you are suffering from a UTI, water is the best drink; alcohol, citrus juices and all caffeine sources should be avoided.

Bladder Control

Bladder irritation can be a cause of bladder-control issues. Many adults experience problems with bladder control, which can include incontinence. The caffeine in coffee can aggravate bladder-control problems by acting as a diuretic. Diuretic substances increase overall urine production, which can aggravate an already-irritated bladder. Additionally, caffeine can cause your whole bladder to spasm, increasing discomfort or irritation.

Irritation Reduction Strategies

You can reduce coffee’s potential to irritate your bladder, using several strategies. Putting milk or creamer in your coffee will lower its acidity, decreasing its irritant potential. You can reduce both acidity and caffeine content by brewing your coffee for less time, or by diluting coffee with hot water, Americano-style. Drinking the same quantity of coffee in smaller servings throughout the day reduces the work your bladder has to do at any given time, thereby decreasing the potential for irritation.

Urinary Tract Infections (for Teens)

It was only third period, but Tracy had already visited the bathroom six times that morning. Sometimes she barely had time to ask the teacher for permission because the urge to pee was so intense. Did she drink too much orange juice for breakfast? Nope — although she really had to go, only a little urine came out each time. And every time she peed, she felt a burning sensation. What was going on?

Tracy’s experience is not unusual. Her problem, a urinary tract infection, is one of the most common reasons that teens — especially girls — visit a doctor.

What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?

A bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common kind of infection affecting the urinary tract. Urine, or pee, is the fluid that is filtered out of the bloodstream by the kidneys. Urine contains salts and waste products, but it doesn’t normally contain bacteria. When bacteria get into the bladder or kidney and multiply in the urine, a UTI can result.

There are three main types of UTI. Bacteria that infect only the urethra (the short tube that delivers urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) cause urethritis (pronounced: yur-ih-threye-tis).

Bacteria can also cause a bladder infection, which is called cystitis (pronounced: sis-tie-tis). Another, more serious, kind of UTI is infection of the kidney itself, known as pyelonephritis (pronounced: pie-low-nih-fry-tis). With this type of UTI, a person often has back pain, high fever, and vomiting.

The most common type of UTI, the bladder infection, causes mostly just discomfort and inconvenience. Bladder infections can be quickly and easily treated. And it’s important to get treatment promptly to avoid the more serious infection that reaches the kidneys.

Bacteria Are to Blame

UTIs are usually caused by E. coli, bacteria that are normally found in the digestive tract and on the skin around the rectal and vaginal areas. When the bacteria enter the urethra, they can make their way up into the bladder and cause an infection.

Girls get urinary tract infections much more frequently than guys, most likely due to differences in the shape and length of the urethra. Girls have shorter urethras than guys, and the opening lies closer to the rectum and vagina where bacteria are likely to be.

Some people seem to get frequent UTIs, but they often have other problems that make them more prone to infection, like an abnormality in the urinary tract structures or function. The most common functional problem of the urinary tract is called vesicoureteral reflux (pronounced: veh-zi-coe-you-ree-tur-al), a condition in which some urine flows backward, or refluxes, from the bladder into the ureters and even up to the kidneys.

Bacteria can get into the urethra several ways. During sexual intercourse, for example, the bacteria in the vaginal area may be pushed into the urethra and eventually end up in the bladder, where urine provides a good environment for the bacteria to grow. This is the reason why females who are sexually active often get UTIs (UTIs are not contagious, so you can’t catch a urinary tract infection from someone else).

Bacteria may also be introduced into a girl’s bladder by wiping from back to front after a bowel movement, which can contaminate the urethral opening. The use of spermicides (including condoms treated with spermicide) and diaphragms as contraceptives also may increase the risk of UTIs.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may cause UTI-like symptoms, such as pain with urination. This is due to the inflammation and irritation of the urethra or vagina that’s sometimes associated with chlamydia and other STDs. If untreated, STDs can lead to serious long-term problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility. Unlike UTIs, STDs are contagious.

Symptoms of UTIs

A number of symptoms are associated with UTIs, including:

• frequent urination
• burning or pain during urination
• the feeling of having to pee even though little or no urine actually comes out
• pain in the lower abdomen
• pain above the pubic bone (in women)
• a full feeling in the rectum (in men)
• bloody or foul-smelling urine
• mild fever
• a general feeling of shakiness and fatigue

A kidney infection may involve more serious symptoms, including:

• high fever
• chills
• nausea and vomiting
• abdominal pain
• cloudy or bloody urine
• pain in the back, just above the waist

If you have any symptoms of a urinary tract infection, you’ll need to go to a doctor right away. The symptoms won’t go away if you ignore them — they’ll only become worse. The more quickly you begin treatment, the less uncomfortable it will be.

Call your doctor’s office or clinic immediately. If you can’t reach your doctor, you can visit an urgent care center or hospital emergency room. The most important thing is to take action as soon as possible.

Battling the Bacteria

Only your health care provider can treat urinary tract infections. The first thing a doctor will do is confirm that a person has a UTI by taking a clean-catch urine specimen. At the doctor’s office, you’ll be asked to clean your genital area with disposable wipes and then urinate into a sterile (bacteria-free) cup.

If an infection is suspected when the specimen is examined, a doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Because there are many different antibiotics available, the doctor may send the urine specimen for a urine culture, which is a test to identify the exact type of bacteria causing your infection. It takes about 48 hours to get results from a urine culture, and a doctor may ask patients to switch antibiotics depending on the results.

Although antibiotics begin fighting the infection right away, they can’t stop all the symptoms immediately. If someone has a lot of pain from a UTI, the doctor may recommend a medication to help relieve the spasm and pain in the bladder. This will turn urine a bright orange color, but it’s harmless and will usually make a person much more comfortable within hours. In the case of a kidney infection, a doctor may prescribe pain medication.

For some infections, a person may only have to take antibiotics for 3 days, but usually people with UTIs need to stay on medicine for 7 to 14 days. It’s important to take the antibiotics until the prescription is finished. Many people stop taking medication when they begin to feel better, but that doesn’t allow the antibiotics to completely kill the bacteria, which increases the risk that the infection will reappear.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a UTI and symptoms continue after you’ve used up all your medication or if your symptoms aren’t much better after 2 to 3 days of treatment, contact your doctor.

It’s important to drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you urinate, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice may also be helpful. People with UTIs should avoid coffee and spicy foods, which can irritate the bladder. Smoking also irritates the bladder, and cause bladder problems later on.

People who get a doctor’s help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. For a more serious kidney infection, most people have to return to the doctor’s office for a follow-up visit to ensure that the infection has responded completely to the medication.

In either case, a doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sexual intercourse for a week or so, which allows the inflammation to disappear completely.

Preventing UTIs

There are several ways people may be able to prevent urinary tract infections. After urination, girls should wipe from front to back with toilet paper. After bowel movements, be sure to wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.

Another thing both girls and guys can do to prevent UTIs is to go to the bathroom frequently. Avoid holding urine for long periods of time.

Males and females should also keep the genital area clean and dry. Girls should change their tampons and pads regularly during their periods. Frequent bubble baths can cause irritation of the vaginal area, so girls should take showers or plain baths. Avoid prolonged exposure to moisture in the genital area by not wearing nylon underwear or wet swimsuits. Wearing underwear with cotton crotches is also helpful. And girls should skip using feminine hygiene sprays or douches — these products can irritate the urethra.

If you are sexually active, go to the bathroom both before and within 15 minutes after intercourse. After sex, gently wash the genital area to remove any bacteria. Avoid sexual positions that irritate or hurt the urethra or bladder. Couples who use lubrication during sex should use a water-soluble lubricant such as K-Y Jelly.

Finally, drinking lots of water each day keeps the bladder active and bacteria free.

Remember that although urinary tract infections are uncomfortable and often painful, they are very common and easily treated. The sooner you contact your doctor, the sooner you’ll be able to get rid of the problem.

90,000 Coffee: benefits and harms to the health of men and women

https://ria.ru/20210217/kofe-1597909868.html

Coffee: benefits and harms to health of men and women

Coffee: benefits and harms to men’s health and women – RIA Novosti, 17.02.2021

Coffee: benefits and harm to the health of men and women

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Why is it useful and harmful, how much you can drink per day, as well as how to choose the right and tasty cook – in ….. RIA Novosti, 17.02.2021

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MOSCOW, Feb 17 – RIA Novosti. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world.Why it is useful and harmful, how much you can drink per day, and how to choose the right and deliciously prepare – in the material RIA Novosti. Types of coffee Coffee is a drink made from roasted and ground coffee beans. It is believed that the Arabs were the first to brew it in the 12th century. Even then, it was mixed with milk, cinnamon or ginger was added to it. Later, coffee spread, including to Europe, where it became very popular. Now there are many varieties of the plant, the most famous are three of them: Grain, ground and instant coffee are sold in stores.The latter is obtained by processing grains into powder or granules. It is believed to be of lower quality. For home coffee machines, capsule coffee is often used. It is more expensive than ground and instant because of the form of release. At the same time, all properties are preserved in it – aroma, saturation, etc. Composition The composition of coffee includes about 70 biologically active components. Among them: caffeine, about 30 types of organic acids, B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5), as well as folates, potassium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus.In addition, coffee is a powerful antioxidant. A study carried out by Spanish scientists has shown that the antioxidants in the peel of coffee beans and coffee grounds are about 500 times stronger in their effect on the body than green tea extract or vitamin C. Calorie content and nutritional value Coffee The calorie content of coffee depends on the variety. As a rule, it is 7 kcal per 100 grams of product. Nutritional value of the drink: Coffee with sugarThe nutritional value of coffee with sugar increases, while the amount of carbohydrates increases significantly.The calorie content of the product is 62.44 kcal. 100 g contains: Coffee with milk The calorie content of 100 grams of coffee with milk is approximately 27 kcal. Nutritional value: Coffee with lemon If you drink a drink without sugar, then it will have a low calorie content – only 8 kcal per 100 grams of product, and the nutritional value will be: the drink does much more good than harm. At the same time, it is noted that its moderate consumption reduces overall mortality.According to one study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, middle-aged British people who drank moderately from coffee died 10-15% less often (the study period covered 10 years). Other scientific studies show that coffee reduces the risk of certain types of cancer – of the mouth, endometrium, intestines and skin – but this is not all the benefits of coffee: drinking coffee regularly reduces inflammation in the body and allows organs to stay healthy longer, and in case of hypotension helps to increase blood pressure.According to the expert, the drink has a number of advantages: Due to the content of caffeine, theanine and other substances, the drink can have a beneficial effect on the body of a man. For example, increase potency and accelerate muscle growth. For women, it is beneficial for its ability to maintain the beauty of hair, skin and nails. Also, coffee can minimize the frequency of headache outbreaks. However, the drink is not recommended for children: experts agree that it can only be consumed at the end of puberty.Harm and contraindications Despite the fact that moderate consumption of the drink is not particularly harmful to the body, its large amount can affect the condition of the bones and the level of calcium in the blood. “Poor quality coffee can have a lot of impurities that can cause nausea, headaches or general unwell,” the expert added. “It can also trigger insomnia and anxiety. If you have high cholesterol levels, it is better to choose filtered coffee. coffee cafeestol and kahweol increase LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels.- Approx. ed.), so filtration is necessary – it lowers the level of LDL. “Also, according to the specialist, contraindications for drinking the drink are: In addition, coffee is harmful to people with mental disorders, because it can provoke anxiety, nervous agitation and even panic attacks. Coffee without Contrary to popular belief that decaffeinated coffee is tasteless, the taste and aroma of the drink are hardly distinguishable from the “natural” product among the producers who value their reputation.However, in stores, its mixtures with Robusta are more often presented. To buy exactly Arabica, you need to carefully read the label. When buying ground coffee, it is better to give preference to Brazilian, Colombian, Indian. Good quality product is packaged in Italy and Germany. Depending on your taste preferences, it is important to pay attention to the degree of grind and roast. A medium grind is suitable for a Turk, a medium roast will have the most balanced taste. It is better to buy coffee beans in a sealed bag with a valve, and the packaging must be intact.It is also worth choosing proven and more expensive brands. When buying an instant product, it is better to take a freeze-dried product – it makes a tastier drink.How to store coffee Ground coffee, as well as coffee beans, should not be stored in an open package so that it does not lose its aroma and taste. It is best to use tight-fitting cans for these purposes. They should be placed in a dry, dark place free from temperature fluctuations. Instant black coffee should only be kept in a glass container so that the drink does not have a metallic taste.HOW TO MAKE YOUR COFFEE You can make the same delicious coffee as in a coffee shop at home. All you need to do is have just a few ingredients. For example, preparing coffee with cinnamon is quite simple – you need to add a pinch of spice to the hot liquid. You can also make chocolate coffee. To do this, you will need a freshly brewed drink, cream and 100 grams of milk or any other chocolate. Turkish coffee is brewed in a Turk with added sugar. For more sophisticated connoisseurs, the recipe for coffee with salt and orange is suitable.To prepare it, you need to mix 1.5 tablespoons of orange zest, the same amount of orange juice and sugar with a pinch of salt, and then pour the finished composition into the drink and mix. To make coffee with ice cream, you need to add it to a slightly cooled drink.

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MOSCOW, 17 Feb – RIA Novosti. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Why it is useful and harmful, how much you can drink per day, as well as how to choose and cook deliciously – in the material of RIA Novosti.

Types of coffee

Coffee is a drink made from roasted and ground coffee beans. It is believed that the Arabs were the first to brew it in the 12th century. Even then, it was mixed with milk, cinnamon or ginger was added to it. Later, coffee spread, including to Europe, where it became very popular. Now there are many varieties of the plant, the most famous are three of them:

• –

  Arabica. It is the most common type of coffee cultivated in Indonesia, India and Latin America.It has a sweetish taste with a slight sourness, depending on the region of cultivation, it may contain the sweetness of berries, a hint of citrus, the aroma of flowers and nuts.

• –

  Robusta. This type of coffee tree is native to tropical regions of Africa, India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. It has more caffeine and less refined aroma, more bitter and tart taste than Arabica. Most often, Robusta is not drunk in its pure form, but is added to coffee blends.

• –

  Liberica.It is the third most important coffee in the world. It has a rich aroma and weak taste and is not intended for export – it is consumed in the regions of growth.

Grain, ground and instant coffee are sold in stores. The latter is obtained by processing grains into powder or granules. It is believed to be of lower quality. For home coffee machines, capsule coffee is often used. It is more expensive than ground and instant because of the form of release. At the same time, all properties are preserved in it – aroma, saturation, etc.

Composition

Coffee contains about 70 biologically active components. Among them: caffeine, about 30 types of organic acids, B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5), as well as folates, potassium, manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, coffee is a powerful antioxidant. A Spanish study showed that the antioxidants in the peel of coffee beans and coffee grounds are about 500 times more potent than green tea extract or vitamin C in terms of their effect on the body.

Caloric content and nutritional value

Coffee

The calorie content of coffee depends on the variety. As a rule, it is 7 kcal per 100 grams of product. Nutritional value of the drink:

• –

  proteins – 0.2 g;

• –

  fat – 0.5 g;

• –

  carbohydrates – 0.2 g;

• –

  dietary fiber – 0.

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Coffee with sugar

The nutritional value of coffee with sugar increases, while the amount carbohydrates.The calorie content of the product is 62.44 kcal. 100 g contains:

• –

  proteins – 1.83 g;

• –

  fat – 1.14 g;

• –

  carbohydrates – 14.65 g.

Coffee with milk

The calorie content of 100 grams of coffee with milk is approximately 27 kcal. Nutritional value:

• –

  proteins – 1.76 g;

• –

  fats – 1.39 g;

• –

  carbohydrates – 2.65 g.

Coffee with lemon

If you consume a drink without sugar, then it will have a low calorie content – only 8 kcal per 100 grams of product, and the nutritional value will be:

• –

  proteins – 0.2 g;

• –

  fats – 0.5;

• –

  carbohydrates – 0.3.

Health Benefits

There are many myths about how coffee affects human health, but according to a 2016 study, the drink is far more beneficial than harmful.At the same time, it is noted that its moderate consumption reduces overall mortality. According to one study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, middle-aged British people who drank moderately from coffee died 10-15% less often (the study period covered 10 years). Other scientific work has shown that coffee reduces the risk of certain types of cancer – of the mouth, endometrium, intestines and skin.

This is not all the benefits of coffee: its regular use reduces inflammation in the body and allows organs to stay healthy longer, and in case of hypotension it helps to increase blood pressure.

“Ground freshly brewed coffee fits perfectly into various nutritional protocols, especially those aimed at weight loss,” nutritionist Veronika Khovanskaya told RIA Novosti. – Moderate consumption of caffeine, one to four cups of coffee a day, helps focus and improves mental alertness. A cup means 100 ml. ”

22 April 2020, 13:04 Science Scientists have discovered that coffee changes the sense of taste. the body uses insulin to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings for sugary snacks and treats.

Due to the content of caffeine, theanine and other substances, the drink can have a beneficial effect on the body of a man. For example, increase potency and accelerate muscle growth. For women, it is beneficial for its ability to maintain the beauty of hair, skin and nails.Also, coffee can minimize the frequency of headache outbreaks. However, the drink is not recommended for children: experts agree that it can only be consumed at the end of puberty.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the fact that moderate consumption of the drink is not particularly harmful to the body, a large amount of it can affect the condition of the bones and the level of calcium in the blood. “Poor quality coffee can have a lot of impurities that can cause nausea, headaches or general ill health,” the expert added.- It can also provoke insomnia and anxiety. If you have high cholesterol levels, then it is better to opt for filter coffee. Cafeestol and cahweol in coffee raise LDL cholesterol (with low density lipoproteins. – Ed.), So filtration is necessary – it lowers LDL levels. ”

Also, according to the specialist, contraindications for drinking the drink are:

• –

  stomach problems;

• –

  pregnancy;

• –

  diseases of the cardiovascular system;

• –

• children;

• –

  hypertension;

• –

  diseases of the nervous system;

• –

  insomnia, etc.etc.

In addition, coffee is harmful to people with mental disorders, because it can provoke anxiety, nervous excitement and even panic attacks.

Decaffeinated coffee

“Decaffeinated coffee is usually prepared by washing coffee beans with chemical solvents,” explained Veronika Khovanskaya, “But even it contains a little caffeine. At the same time, the benefits from it become many times less.” This drink is recommended for coffee lovers who have contraindications to the usual one in order to reduce side effects.

Contrary to popular belief that decaffeinated coffee is tasteless, the taste and aroma of the drink are not much different from the “natural” product among the producers who value their reputation.

21 October 2020, 01:30 Science The benefits of green tea and coffee for people with diabetes have been discovered

How to choose the right coffee

It is believed that the best type of coffee is one hundred percent Arabica. However, in stores, its mixtures with Robusta are more often presented. To buy exactly Arabica, you need to carefully read the label.When buying ground coffee, it is better to give preference to Brazilian, Colombian, Indian. Good quality product is packaged in Italy and Germany. Depending on your taste preferences, it is important to pay attention to the degree of grind and roast. A medium grind is suitable for a Turk, a medium roast will have the most balanced taste. It is better to buy coffee beans in a sealed bag with a valve, and the packaging must be intact. It is also worth choosing proven and more expensive brands.When buying an instant product, it is better to take a freeze-dried one – a more delicious drink is obtained from it.

How to store coffee

Ground coffee, as well as coffee beans, must not be stored in an open container so that it does not lose its aroma and taste. It is best to use tight-fitting cans for these purposes. They should be placed in a dry, dark place free from temperature fluctuations. Instant black coffee should only be kept in a glass container so that the drink does not have a metallic taste.

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The woman refused coffee and was surprised at the result

How to make delicious coffee

You can make the same delicious drink as in a coffee shop at home. All you need to do is have just a few ingredients. For example, preparing coffee with cinnamon is quite simple – you need to add a pinch of spice to the hot liquid. You can also make chocolate coffee. To do this, you will need a freshly brewed drink, cream and 100 grams of milk or any other chocolate.Turkish coffee is brewed in a Turk with added sugar.

More sophisticated connoisseurs will find the recipe for coffee with salt and orange. To prepare it, you need to mix 1.5 tablespoons of orange zest, the same amount of orange juice and sugar with a pinch of salt, and then pour the finished composition into the drink and mix. To make coffee with ice cream, you need to add it to a slightly cooled drink.

Could drinking coffee increase the risk of cancer?

Highlights

Numerous clinical studies of large groups of cancer patients in China, the United Kingdom and Iran have not found a significant association between drinking coffee (containing caffeine) and an increased risk of cancer.Although one observational study found a possible positive correlation between instant coffee drinkers and breast cancer, further research is needed to confirm this observation. Therefore, drinking coffee cannot cause cancer.

Can coffee cause cancer?

Imagine waking up very early in the morning after a long night at work and cannot have a cup of coffee … horror! As one of the most popular caffeinated beverages in the world, coffee has become both a staple and a crop in countless countries.Whether it’s a student trying to stay awake, a workaholic, or just a coffee aficionado, people just can’t live without their daily dose of coffee. Therefore, the question must be asked – is there a link between drinking excessive amounts of coffee (containing caffeine) and an increased risk of cancer? Can coffee cause cancer? Let’s find out!

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Research related to coffee consumption and cancer risk

Fortunately for all coffee drinkers in the world, numerous scientific studies have been conducted on this very issue and have shown that, in general, there is no connection between caffeine from coffee and an increased incidence of cancer. This year, Chinese researchers conducted a study to find out if there is a relationship between coffee consumption and breast cancer in women aged 24-84 in Hong Kong.This was done because breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, and it was found to have a strong correlation with food intake. However, after interviewing 2,169 Chinese women at three public hospitals, the researchers found that “no association was found between overall coffee consumption and breast cancer risk” (PMY Li et al., Research Fellow, 2019). It should be noted, though, that there was a positive correlation between instant coffee drinkers and breast cancer.

Simultaneously this year, much larger studies were conducted in different parts of the globe to try to answer the same basic question. In July of this year, researchers at the Brisbane Medical Research Institute conducted large-scale Mendelian randomization (statistical analysis using gene variants as tools for causal inference in observational studies) to see if there was any causal relationship between consumption coffee and diagnosis.with cancer or an increased risk of certain cancers. Using the British Biobank as their database, the researchers of this study identified 46,155 270,342 cases and control groups and concluded that “there was no association between coffee consumption and individual cancer risks, with most cancers having little or no association with coffee”. (Ong JS et al., Int J Epidemiol. 2019).

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In order to close the deal, another study was done this year on this topic, but specifically related to ovarian cancer.There have been conflicting reports of the effects of caffeine in the past, so researchers at the University of Tehran wanted to analyze all the studies that had been done on the connection between coffee consumption and an increased risk of ovarian cancer in women. After independently screening 9344 cases, these researchers also concluded that there is no association between coffee drinkers and an increased risk of cancer (Salari-Moghaddam A et al., J. Clin. Endocrinol Metab. 2019).

Conclusion

Although one observational study found a possible positive correlation between instant coffee drinkers and breast cancer, further research is needed to confirm whether drinking instant coffee causes cancer.The bottom line is that if you’re an avid coffee drinker, you may or may not be worried about the other effects coffee has on your body, but cancer generally shouldn’t be one of them. So breathe a sigh of relief, drive to your nearest Starbucks and enjoy Venti Latte now.

What food you eat and what supplements you take is your decision. Your decision should include consideration of cancer gene mutations, type of cancer, ongoing treatments and supplements, any allergies, lifestyle information, weight, height, and habits.

Cancer nutritional planning from add-on is not based on Internet searches. It automates the molecular science decision making process implemented by our scientists and software developers. Whether you want to understand the underlying biochemical molecular pathways or not, this understanding is essential for cancer nutrition planning.

Get started NOW with meal planning by answering questions about cancer name, genetic mutations, current treatments and supplements, any allergies, habits, lifestyle, age group and gender.

Foods to Eat After Cancer Diagnosis!

No two cancers are the same. Go beyond general dietary guidelines for everyone and make individual decisions about food and supplements with confidence.

Cancer patients often have to deal with different side effects of chemotherapy that affect their quality of life and are looking for alternative cancer treatments. Taking the right diet and science-based supplements (avoiding guesswork and random selection) is the best natural remedy for cancer and treatment-related side effects.

90,000 8 Most common causes of IMI 2021

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If you have ever had a urinary tract infection, then you know the agony of this terrible burning feeling and the relentless need to urinate – and you may do everything to not get another.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 1 in 5 women will have a UTI at some point in their life. And while men can get them too (UTIs are the second most common infection), women are much more likely to cut them, says the National Institute for Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases.This is because we have a shorter urethra, which makes it too easy for the bacteria that cause UTIs to pass through and invade the bladder. Not fair.

“Our urinary tract system is designed to prevent bacteria, but that defense can fail,” says Kelly M. Casper, MD, a physician at Indiana University. “When this happens, bacteria can grow and multiply and cause infections.”

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8 of the most common causes of urinary tract infections – and some helpful tips for prevention.

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nd3000 / ShutterstockSex

We know it’s a huge bummer. Many women get UTIs after doing an exercise because the movement of sex can carry bacteria from the intestines or vaginal cavity to the urethra. To reduce your risk of urinary tract infection, urinate within 30 minutes after sex, says Lisa N. Hawes, M.D., a general urologist in Fulton, Maryland, and a spokesperson for the American Urological Association.And ignore the often shared advice that both partners should wash their genitals just before and after sex. “It actually changes the bacterial flora and increases the risk of UTIs,” Howes says.

MORE: 7 Little things you can do during sex to increase your bond with your partner

Kotikoti / ShutterstockConstipation

You may be able to blame your poop (or lack thereof) for your UTI. Being obstructive, it is difficult to empty the bladder completely, which means the trapped bacteria have plenty of time to grow and cause infection, Howes says.(Here’s how to never be constipated again). On the other hand, diarrhea or fecal incontinence can also increase the risk of getting a UTI because bacteria from loose stools can easily make its way into the vagina and urethra. Corrected tip: Wipe the front and back whenever you use the bathroom, but take extra care to do this after a bowel movement.

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Minerva Studio / Shutterstock Uncontrolled Diabetes

“When blood sugar is high, the excess sugar is removed through the urine,” says Howes. “It creates a favorable environment for bacterial overgrowth” and a potentially bad situation for you. You may have heard the myth that eating too much sugar causes urinary tract infections even if you don’t have diabetes, but House assures us that this is not true. …If you don’t have diabetes, your sweet tooth is not the culprit. (If you have diabetes, here are the best foods to order in 8 types of restaurants.)

CHAjAMP / ShutterstockHolding it

If you have to go, go! “Holding urine for 6 hours or more can make UTIs more prevalent because bacteria that enter the bladder take a long time to grow between the voids,” says Howes. While traveling, for example, it might seem like a good idea to hold on tight and keep driving until the next rest area, but do yourself a favor and stop – the extra miles aren’t worth the risk of contracting a UTI.

MORE: What the color of your letter says about your health

Maridav / ShutterstockDehydration

Drinking plenty of water not only quenches thirst, but also postpones UTI during the hot summer months, when many “We should always try to drink at least half of our weight in ounces,” says Stephanie Seitz, a physician at the Southwestern College of Naturopathic Medicine. “When we drink plenty of water, we will help flush out bacteria that can cause UTIs.”

Stay Hydrated With This Delicious Sassy Water Recipe:

Image Point Fr / ShutterstockBirth control

If you switch birth control, the resulting hormonal shift could lead to a change in the normal bacteria in your vagina that could increase the chances of a UTI, Howes says. Using diaphragms and spermicides can also increase your chances of developing one, Casper adds.

MORE: 6 UTI Symptoms All Women Should Know

Products Ollinka / ShutterstockFeminine

“Dirty pads and tampons are a place where bacteria can grow very easily,” says Essan Ali, MD, a primary health care physician in Beverly Hills, California.Therefore, change them often to prevent urinary tract infections during your period. Likewise, Alyssa Dweck, Massachusetts, Missouri, in Westchester County, NY, says she chooses your underwear wisely: “A cotton crotch is always preferred and avoids a thong with a thin, battered g-string that can carry bacteria.” … Jin says wearing cotton helps prevent excess moisture that causes bacteria to grow there.

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These mineral deposits increase the risk of UTI infections, Ali says, because they can block the urinary tract and maintain urine, giving the bacteria plenty of time to grow.(Here’s the craziest way to pass a kidney stone.)

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