Our friend Dr Caryn shared this on her blog the other day and I wanted to share it with our followers:
TRUE or FALSE: Drinking more water makes you pee more frequently.
So this is kind of a trick question- it depends on how much water you’re drinking! Drinking a lot at once can cause your bladder to fill quicker leading to increased frequency (makes sense right?) HOWEVER, not drinking enough water can also cause urinary frequency and urgency and even incontinence. 🤯 I’ve spoken to so many women who tell me they limit their fluids during the day so they won’t have to use the bathroom so much. Although when I ask if it ends up helping, the answer is usually “no”.
The truth is, when you don’t drink enough water, your urine becomes more concentrated and creates and more acidic environment in your bladder. This acidity irritates the bladder and gives a false sense of urgency, leading to frequent voiding and/or possibly leaking. The best thing you can do is drink small amounts of water consistently throughout the day, keeping your bladder happy and calm!
And how much total water should you be consuming a day? That also depends! Most adults should be having around 6 glasses a day. Those who are super active may want more like 8 glasses a day. Those with overactive bladder should try to have a minimum of 4 glasses. Once the bladder issues are under control, you can slowly try to increase.
Thanks!
-Amanda
