Is My Pumpkin Spice Latte Making Me Leak?
The short answer is: maybe. But before you get mad at me for saying you might want to consider giving up that daily latte, read on, get the facts, and then let’s talk!
There are a lot of factors that play into whether someone leaks urine, feels like they have to pee every two seconds, or has to do the pee pee dance all the way to the restroom after washing dishes. A lot of it has to do with whether your pelvic floor muscles are weak or overactive and how your body manages pressure. But, another contributing factor can be bladder irritation.
What we eat and drink can have an effect on urinary leakage, urgency, frequency, ability to empty the bladder, and even pelvic pain. When the lining of the bladder is irritated because of what we put into the body, it can be difficult for the bladder to function optimally.
Every bladder is different, and what irritates one person’s bladder may not irritate another’s. It’s also possible that your own bladder becomes more irritated by certain things at different levels or even at different times of the day.
However, there are certain things that commonly irritate the bladder in most people.
These are the top 5 most common bladder irritants:
Caffeine
Alcohol
Artificial sweeteners
Spicy or acidic foods (including vinegar and citrus fruits)
Carbonation
Other common irritants:
Dehydration
Tomatoes
Chocolate
Sweeteners of any kind
Dairy
Vitamins B and C
Allergy medications
A word about water. Dehydration can be extremely irritating to the bladder. I could do a whole post on:
“Water” versus “fluid”
Should you chug or sip throughout the day
How sweat, activity, heat, and humidity all affect how much water you should consume
Being over-hydrated
Water intake when you’re breastfeeding
But for now, I’m just going to say that bottom line: being properly hydrated is super important. Your pee should have a slight yellowish color (think fresh lemonade that is not overly sugary).
It’s important that you don’t just stop consuming water or fluids while you’re trying to figure out what is irritating your bladder.
So, back to the question at hand. Is your pumpkin spice latte making you leak? Here’s how to figure it out:
Wean off of whatever you’re eating or drinking that is a possible culprit. Do not quit caffeine cold turkey! Then you really will hate me and never listen to anything I say ever again. I repeat: do not quit caffeine cold turkey!
If you’re consuming multiple potential culprits, wean off one to two at a time until you have completely eliminated them from your diet for at least 10 days (3-4 weeks optimally).
See how this, admittedly unfun, experiment affects your symptoms. If your symptoms improve, you know that whatever you eliminated does irritate your bladder. You can always try adding that substance slowly back into your diet to see if you’re able to consume a lesser amount without symptoms. You might find that it’s not necessarily what you eat or drink, but rather how much of it you consume in a day.
You may also try drinking pure water before consuming the bladder irritant to dilute the irritant in your system. For example, if you really want that morning latte, try drinking 4-6 ounces of water beforehand.
Of course, you can always choose to have the irritant. You’ll just know how it will affect you and you can decide whether it’s worth it or not!
Thanks for reading! If you found this helpful, help promote awareness of pelvic floor issues and SHARE it! Let’s normalize talking about peeing, pooping, and sex.
