Q: I seem to have the world’s smallest bladder. I need to pee 10 times or more a day! What can I do to help my bladder and urinary tract health?

A: Frequent urination or “overactive bladder” has many potential causes. Some of the more important to rule out include blood sugar issues or diabetes, neurological disorders (stroke, multiple sclerosis, decreased cognitive function), hormonal changes, infections, or other bladder, kidney, prostate, or vaginal issues. Some medications, including various blood pressure medications, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and others, can also cause increased urination. In most cases, other symptoms will accompany frequent urination, but it’s important to talk to your doctor to ensure you’re safe and healthy.

Dietary Triggers

Many common dietary triggers might be contributing to frequent urination. These include caffeine, alcohol, carbonated beverages, sugar, corn syrup, aspartame, citrus juices, spicy foods, tomatoes, certain cheeses, and milk.

A food allergy or food sensitivity could also be a trigger and should be considered in those with urinary frequency of an unknown cause or with other symptoms, such as migraines, eczema, or recurrent ear infections. It may be worth experimenting with an elimination diet or pursuing dietary allergy and sensitivity testing to potentially find a hidden dietary trigger.

Increased Fluid Intake

The increased urinary frequency is sometimes simply caused by increased fluid intake. This can happen if you start taking medications or supplements—the extra water, juice, tea, or other beverages consumed with the pills can increase urination. If there is too much fluid compared with electrolytes in your system, your body will eliminate the extra fluid to keep the electrolyte–fluid balance in check. Because of the body’s compensatory mechanism, it’s important to balance increased fluid—non-carbonated water is best—intake with increased electrolyte intake as well.

Pressure on the Bladder

An overactive bladder can be caused by physical pressure on the bladder due to having a high body mass index (BMI), which is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that many healthcare practitioners and the National Institutes of Health use to estimate a person’s targeted “healthy” weight. Pressure on the bladder can also be caused by pregnancy and pelvic floor issues or, for women, pelvic organ prolapse. Overweight patients who lose weight are likely to see significantly improved bladder control. Another way to reduce pressure on the bladder is to supplement with magnesium, which is known to relax muscles, including those around the bladder, which can relieve urinary frequency and urgency. Women who suspect they have pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic floor weakness should see a urogynecologist for testing.

It's not always easy to identify and solve the problem at the root of the overactive bladder, but here are some questions you can ask yourself that might help point you in the right direction. When did it start? Did anything happen in your life when it first started, such as an infection, stress, a change in lifestyle, giving birth, a new medication, etc.? Are you experiencing any other symptoms? Is there any relationship between the overactive bladder and specific meals, drinks, or other activities? If you’re unsure where to start, talk with your doctor.