Good nutrition is essential for our overall health and may also play a role in reducing symptoms associated with common bladder disorders. In this article we focus on food and beverage choices and discuss how we can actively manage our lifestyle to maintain and improve our bladder health. Show
A quick note before we begin. It’s important to keep in mind that a single set of recommendations cannot apply to all types of bladder disorder. For example, avoiding foods such as citrus fruit and tomatoes might help an individual to ease symptoms associated with an overactive bladder but would not change their risk of disorders such as bladder infections and bladder cancer. What Types of Disorders Commonly Affect the Bladder?Several conditions may commonly affect the bladder, including:
For more information on these common conditions, please refer to the Urology Care Foundation (American Urology Association) website. How Common Is Bladder Cancer?Globally, approximately 1 in 100 men and 1 in 400 women will develop bladder cancer at some stage during their life. Bladder cancer rates vary considerably by region, being highest in Europe and North America, and in most regions bladder cancer is 3 to 4 times more common in men than in women. In the United States, the lifetime risk of bladder cancer is approximately 1 in 25 for men and 1 in 100 for women.1,2 How To Improve Bladder HealthMany factors related to bladder care, lifestyle, and nutrition can help to maintain and improve bladder health, including:
Foods for Bladder HealthNutrition is a complex topic, and there is no ‘one size fits all’ bladder diet. However, several foods are recognized as being bladder irritants and others may have a soothing effect on sensitive bladders. It is helpful to be aware of these foods, but keep in mind that the irritating or soothing effects they may have are mainly relevant to conditions such as OAB and interstitial cystitis. What are foods that irritate the bladder?Foods and drinks that have been associated with bladder irritation include tomatoes and tomato juice, vinegar, chili and spicy foods, chocolate, sugar and other sweeteners (e.g., saccharin, aspartame, corn sweeteners, honey, fructose, sucrose, lactose), caffeine, carbonated beverages, alcohol, and some fruits and fruit juices (e.g., apples, citrus fruit, pineapple, plums, grapes). Note that if bladder symptoms are related to a dietary component, an elimination diet may help to identify the problematic food or drink. This involves adhering to a diet that eliminates common bladder irritants – if a dietary component has been contributing, marked improvement in symptoms is expected within approximately 10 days. Foods can then be slowly added back into the diet one at a time – if symptoms return, this enables the specific irritant to be identified. What foods calm the bladder?The American Urological Association also recognizes some foods as potentially having a calming effect on sensitive bladders. These foods include pears, bananas, green beans, squash, potatoes, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, bread, and eggs. Remember that these are general guidelines and mainly apply to sensitive bladders. In the following section we will discuss what is known regarding food and cancer/ bladder cancer. For specific guidelines related to other bladder conditions you may wish to refer to American Urological Association resources available at www.urologyhealth.org. If you are concerned about your bladder symptoms, seek advice from your doctor. Food and Cancer PreventionThe American Cancer Society’s general guidelines for cancer prevention recommend that all ages should follow a healthy eating pattern. Their suggestion:
Food and Bladder CancerGiven the lining of the bladder may be exposed to dietary carcinogens excreted in the urine, a number of studies have investigated the impact of dietary components on bladder cancer specifically. While some dietary components may be carcinogenic, findings suggest others can have a protective effect against bladder cancer. The main points of knowledge at this stage, bearing in mind this is an ongoing area of research:
What Are the Symptoms of Bladder Cancer?
As hematuria and urinary symptoms are common to several bladder disorders, including bladder cancer, it is important to see your doctor if you are experiencing any of these symptoms so that the cause can be determined. How Is Bladder Cancer Detected?Several different diagnostic tests can be used to detect bladder cancer. Often a combination of tests is selected, taking into account an individual patient’s symptoms and risk factors. They may include non-invasive tests carried out on urine samples, cystoscopy (where a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera is used to look inside the bladder), and imaging techniques such as x-ray and ultrasound. If you're concerned about bladder cancer, ask your doctor about CxbladderCxbladder is a non-invasive genomic urine test that can quickly and accurately detect or rule out bladder cancer. The test combines clinical risk factor markers with genetic information, measuring five biomarker genes to detect the presence or absence of bladder cancer in hematuria patients and those being monitored for recurrence. Cxbladder’s unique urine sample collection system is discrete, painless and easy-to-use, taking only minutes. With performance proven in over 12 peer-reviewed studies, the test has been trusted by over 1,800 US urologists in over 40,000 patients. The test is covered by Medicare and comes with the option of in-home sampling. ReferencesGeneral sources
Last Updated: 12 Apr 2022 01:45 pm |