Does caffeine/stimulants effect bladder capacity?
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Archives1
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This is actually a bit more complicated to explain and I don't think there is a clear yes or no answer. Here's what happens when you consume coffee (or more precisely, caffeine):
The caffeine acts as a diuretic and withdraws water from the body. The body reacts to the dehydration with increased ADH production which leads to less water being excreted by the kidneys. As a result, the urine becomes more concentrated and ensures that in the case of OAB you have to go to the toilet more often - but excrete less. This is because concentrated urine irritates the bladder more. Thus coffee is first of all a clear trigger for OAB. Whether the bladder becomes smaller in the end depends of course on many other factors - but generally speaking there is a risk of bladder shrinkage with OAB. To a certain extent, this is a vicious circle that one tries to counteract through bladder training.
In general, one can only say that it is not a good idea to drink a lot of coffee with OAB. The same applies to highly acidic beverages (e.g. orange juice) or hot spices.
The caffeine acts as a diuretic and withdraws water from the body. The body reacts to the dehydration with increased ADH production which leads to less water being excreted by the kidneys. As a result, the urine becomes more concentrated and ensures that in the case of OAB you have to go to the toilet more often - but excrete less. This is because concentrated urine irritates the bladder more. Thus coffee is first of all a clear trigger for OAB. Whether the bladder becomes smaller in the end depends of course on many other factors - but generally speaking there is a risk of bladder shrinkage with OAB. To a certain extent, this is a vicious circle that one tries to counteract through bladder training.
In general, one can only say that it is not a good idea to drink a lot of coffee with OAB. The same applies to highly acidic beverages (e.g. orange juice) or hot spices.
Archives1
Staff member
Coffee does increase the frequency and urgency of my output for a couple of hours. I do drink it on some mornings, but never after 12:00 p.m. My output/urges aren’t affected by caffeine in sodas, nor spicy nor acidic food - maybe because my nerve damage is permanent and isn’t swayed.
I used be prescribed Adderall but I quit taking it because even in small doses, it absolutely made my bladder 2-4x worse.
I used be prescribed Adderall but I quit taking it because even in small doses, it absolutely made my bladder 2-4x worse.
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