40 Years of MoliCare – Does Drinking More Water Help Incontinence? Expert Advice

Firstly, it’s vital that you are aware of the importance of hydration, whether a person has incontinence or not. Ensuring that the body receives an adequate amount of water every day has an effect on many of its natural processes, including regulating the body temperature, lubricating the joints, preventing infections, sending nutrients to cells, keeping organs functioning well, and much more besidesi. Not drinking enough fluids can result in a lack of sufficient water in the body, leading to symptoms of dehydration, , such as headaches, dizziness, low productivity and lethargy. 

According the to the NHS Eatwell Guide, we should be drinking at least 6-8 cups or glasses of water a day. This amounts to about 2 litres of water each of us should drinking a day. On top of the water we drink, we also get some of our water intake from food – about 20-30%, to be preciseii. However, in some cases, such as in warmer climates or in hotter areas, you may have to intake more fluids, as we naturally lose water through sweat.  

It may sound counterintuitive, but drinking plenty of water can be a big help if you have incontinence or find that you are needing to use the toilet more. Although a natural reaction to needing to urinate more is to drink less water and liquids in general to reduce the need, this can actually make your symptoms worse. Unfortunately, drinking less water can lead to more concentrated urine that may cause irritation to the bladder and reduce the bladder’s capacity. Plus, without taking in adequate amounts of water, your body will be less equipped to carry out its natural processes and may begin to experience symptoms of dehydration as discussed above.  

To help with incontinence, you should drink water on a good schedule, which includes: 
 

• Drinking 6 – 8 cups of plain water every day. So you don’t overwhelm the bladder, it may be best to drink these amounts through frequent sipping, rather than drinking a cup or two at a time. 
• Avoiding drinking anything for a few hours before bedtime, so as not to encourage any nightly trips to the bathroom. Also, it’s best practice to go to the bathroom and try to pass urine to fully empty the bladder before going to sleep.  

Realising that you need to drink more water, whether you have trouble urinating adequately or not, can be tricky. Symptoms of dehydration can be easily confused with indications of other issues. However, some of the common signs that you need to be drinking more water include: 

• Severe headaches 
• Lack of energy 
• Muscle cramps 
• oint pain 
• Dry mouth and eyes 
• Weight gain 
• Irritated bladder while peeing 

On the other hand, surprisingly, drinking too much water can have negative effects on the body too. Known as overhydration, drinking too much water can have just as serious side effects as not drinking enough, including: 
 

• Clear coloured urine 
• Going to the bathroom more often than usual 
• Drinking although you don’t feel thirsty 
• Nausea/vomiting 
• Severe headaches 
• Tiredness 
• Slight discoloration of hands, feet and lips 

So, when it comes to answering ‘does drinking more water help incontinence’ in further detail, the answer is yes, but in moderation. Not drinking enough water can lead to bladder pain and drinking too much can lead to severe symptoms and will worsen incontinence. As such, it is important to work with your body to find the right amount of water for you. If necessary, you can consult a medical professional to help find the right amount of water for your body.   

Drinking so much water every day can be intimidating, especially if you aren’t used to that much fluid intake or don’t really like plain water. Fortunately, there are several bladder friendly drinks that will help ensure you get the right amount of healthy fluids everyday without getting bored of drinking plain water, including:

• Water with an effervescent tablet 
• Homemade fruit-infused water – avoid citrus fruit and fruit juices as these can irritate the bladder 
• Fresh fruit juice  - Avoid citrus fruit juices. Plus, if you are taking blood thinning medication, you should avoid cranberry juice as it can increase the blood-thinning effect. 
• Coconut water 
• Homemade vegetable/fruit smoothies - Avoid citrus fruit, pineapple and tomatoes. Also, if you use beetroot in your smoothies, please be aware that this can make your urine slightly red.  
• Unsweetened iced tea 
• Caffeine-free tea or coffee 
• Milk 
• Milk substitutes, such as almond milk 

Although finding bladder friendly drinks as alternatives to water will help your daily fluid intake and boost your body, there are certain drinks that you should avoid, particularly if you have incontinence. Some beverages can irritate the bladder, worsen symptoms of incontinence and will provide little or no nutritional benefit to the body. These include:

• Alcohol 
• Citrus juice 
• Carbonated drinks 
• Caffeinated drinks 

As well as monitoring the amount of water and fluids you drink per day, making a few changes to your diet can help if you are struggling with incontinence. Like some drinks, certain foods can irritate the bladder and worsen urine leakage. So, it’s important to avoid these foods, including:

• Citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruits 
• Tomatoes  
• Chocolate 
• Spicy foods 
• Artificial sweeteners  

As well as avoiding or limiting the foods that worsen incontinence symptoms, it would be beneficial to add more fibre to your diet. By consuming foods such as brown rice, beans, broccoli and almonds, you can help prevent symptoms of urinary and bowel incontinence.   

‘Does drinking more water help incontinence?’ We hope our advice has been able to provide you with the answer to this question, and given you more tips on how to look after yourself. As long as you monitor your water intake to ensure your body is receiving a healthy balance of fluids, you should begin to see an improvement in your incontinence, and in your body as a whole.