{"id":152,"date":"2025-01-22T14:32:07","date_gmt":"2025-01-22T14:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/?page_id=152"},"modified":"2025-09-22T14:25:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T13:25:12","slug":"drinking-for-a-healthy-bladder","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/advice\/drinking-for-a-healthy-bladder\/","title":{"rendered":"Drinking for a healthy bladder"},"content":{"rendered":"

You should always follow advice from your healthcare professional about you overactive bladder symptoms.<\/p>\n

\n

Drinks that can<\/span> irritate the bladder<\/h2>\n

Certain drinks can irritate the bladder, so it\u2019s important to be mindful of what you consume, especially if you are experiencing bladder problems.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/h3>\n

Tea, coffee, green tea, cola, and other caffeinated soft drinks.<\/p>\n

Effects<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Caffeine is a mild diuretic, which can make you pass more urine and may lead to dehydration.<\/li>\n
  • It can irritate the bladder lining, making you feel like you need to pass urine more often.<\/li>\n
  • Caffeine also reduces the body\u2019s ability to absorb iron from food, so it\u2019s best to avoid these drinks immediately after meals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
    \n

    Drinks that are less likely<\/span> to irritate the bladder<\/h2>\n

    You may be able to consume these drinks in moderation.<\/p>\n

    Examples<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Hot chocolate<\/li>\n
    • Blackcurrant juice<\/li>\n
    • Citrus fruits and juices (e.g., orange, grapefruit)<\/li>\n
    • Tomatoes and tomato juice<\/li>\n
    • Fizzy drinks<\/li>\n
    • Alcohol<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Why<\/h3>\n

      These drinks can irritate the bladder and may worsen symptoms if you already have bladder issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      Tips for reducing irritant drinks<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • If you drink a lot of tea or coffee, reduce your intake gradually (e.g., by one cup per day). This helps prevent withdrawal headaches.<\/li>\n
      • Replace irritant drinks with non-irritating fluids like water, herbal teas (e.g., chamomile), or decaffeinated options.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tips for increasing fluid intake<\/h2>\n
          \n
        • If you don\u2019t drink enough fluids, start by adding one or two extra drinks per day. Gradually increase this over a few days.<\/li>\n
        • Aim for a healthy balance: 1.5\u20132 litres of non-irritant fluids daily (6\u20138 mugs).<\/li>\n
        • Make gradual changes to your diet and fluid intake to allow your body to adjust comfortably.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Building long-term habits<\/h2>\n

          After two to three weeks of making gradual changes, you can create a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle that supports your bladder health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          You should always follow advice from your healthcare professional about you overactive bladder symptoms. Tips for reducing irritant drinks If…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":9,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-152","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":160,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/152\/revisions\/160"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/ababs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}