Is My Diet or Nutrition Causing My Male Urinary Incontinence?

Male urinary incontinence is the unintentional expulsion of urine in men, especially in older adults. There are several urinary incontinence causes, such as smoking too much, drinking too many liquids, and of course, consuming foods that irritate the bladder. 

What are Bladder Irritants?

There are certain foods that can inflame the urinary tract and exacerbate the symptoms of incontinence. The effects of these foods on a leaky bladder vary from man to man. It’s important to observe yourself closely to determine which foods affect you personally. 

Here is a list of foods that falls under our list of urinary incontinence causes and may be contributing to your urinary incontinence problem:

Tomato-Based Products 

Are you one of those people who add tomato ketchup or salsa to everything? Tomato is an acidic food and it can irritate your urinary tract, worsening your incontinence symptoms. Consider eliminating tomatoes and all tomato-based products from your diet for a couple of weeks to see whether it affects you or not.

Tea and Coffee 

If you are used to guzzling down 4 to 5 cups of tea or coffee every day, know that it might be the culprit. Well, technically it’s the caffeine that can disrupt your bladder’s function and aggravate the incontinence. 

To decrease the symptoms, try eliminating or reducing your caffeine intake, or better yet, try the decaffeinated varieties! But you should note that even the decaffeinated teas and coffees contain tiny amounts of caffeine.

Chocolate 

Consider yourself a chocoholic? Here’s the bad news: chocolate contains caffeine, which is directly linked to an irritated bladder. If you are not ready to part with chocolates completely, consider eating white chocolate. White chocolates only contain cocoa butter and zero caffeine.

Citrus Fruits 

You may have already known that oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits contain large amounts of citric acid. And like tomatoes, the acid in these fruits can wreak havoc on your bladder’s health. There are plenty of other fruits you can add to your diet, like bananas, apples, and berries.

Alcohol 

Alcohol is also one of the bladder leakage products you should avoid as much as possible. Wine, beer, or any type of liquor can irritate the bladder and disrupt the signals to your brain, causing your bladder to leak.

Carbonated Beverages

Chilled energy drinks, soda water, and soft drinks can feel so tempting when it’s hot outside but they can also aggravate your incontinence symptoms. These drinks contain caffeine as well as carbonation which can over-stimulate your bladder.

Spicy Foods 

That hot sauce that makes your eyes water can also irritate your urinary tract! Food that contains spicy sauces or peppers may affect your bladder so be cautious when consuming them.

Other than the foods mentioned above, make sure you stay away from overly-processed foods that are full of artificial ingredients. These foods are good for no one, especially people suffering from a leaky bladder! 

Your diet should be clean and balanced, containing lots of fresh produce, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. As we said earlier, every person’s reaction to the same food might be different so keep a food diary. Note what foods you ate, when you ate them, and how you felt after. 

This will allow you to see any connections between what you eat and your incontinence symptoms.

Men’s Liberty Makes Living With Urinary Incontinence Easier 

Get ahead of your male urinary incontinence by using male bladder leakage products. Check out our exclusive male external collection pouch that will keep you dry and cozy all day and night long!

Trusted by thousands of hospitals across the nation and available to most for no-cost through insurance, Men’s Liberty offers an ultra-effective male urinary incontinence solution to provide you freedom from traditional external catheters, condom catheters, and diapers. To place your order, call us at 888-412-9329 or visit us online.