It seems no matter what health ailment or symptom you’re facing in life, there’s always a so-called superfood that can fix you up. The true efficacy of these miracle ingredients is usually a little more nuanced, but when you’re living with frustrating symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB), you may be willing to try anything to get relief. Reminder: OAB is defined as a sudden urge to urinate that's hard to control, with frequent urination (more than 8 times in a 24-hour period) and no other condition, like a UTI or kidney stone.
Today, we’d like to walk you through some commonly discussed nutriceuticals for OAB. We’ll talk about what the science says, what’s been debunked, and where we still have more to learn.
Are Pumpkin Seeds Good for Overactive Bladder?
The Science: Scientists have studied whether pumpkin seeds (or pumpkin seed oil extracted from pumpkin seeds) can help with the symptoms of OAB. People who took a pumpkin seed oil supplement for 12 weeks reduced their urinary urgency, frequency, nighttime waking to pee (nocturia), and other OAB symptoms.
The Takeaways: You can take a supplement with pumpkin seed extract to benefit from the pumpkin seed’s fatty acids, which could have an impact on bladder function and pelvic floor muscle strength. You can also get pumpkin seed oil and use it in culinary applications; it has a great nutty flavor. Don’t heat it too much, though, because this destroys the beneficial fatty acids.
Are Cranberry Pills Good for Overactive Bladder?
The Science: Cranberries always come up when we think about bladder health, and research shows that cranberry pills do provide effective prevention against UTIs, which can trigger or worsen OAB. Cranberries contain compounds called proanthocyanidins (PACs) that help prevent certain bacteria, especially E. Coli, from adhering to the urothelium, the lining of the bladder. However, there is unfortunately no support for cranberry pills being an effective treatment for overactive bladder.
The Takeaways: Support your bladder health and prevent UTIs with cranberry pills, but don’t expect it to help with any OAB symptoms. There is a limited amount of data to suggest that a daily 8-ounce serving of cranberry juice could provide the same protective benefit against UTIs. But remember, once a UTI has taken hold, cranberry pills can’t help clear the bacteria.
Are Probiotics Good for Overactive Bladder?
The Science: Your urinary tract has its own microbiome, the urobiome. Scientists wondered whether the urobiome in people with OAB would show different species compared with people who do not have OAB. Studies have found that there is a difference.
So, how does all of this relate to probiotics? The theory of taking probiotics is that you can intake beneficial bacteria through a supplement form and thereby change the OAB urobiome to be a ‘healthier’ one. However, there is no clinical support for any specific probiotic supplement or regimen actually treating symptoms of OAB.
The Takeaways: Probiotics get a lot of hype, but right now there’s no support for probiotics being beneficial for managing the symptoms of OAB. However, this is a relatively new and active area of research, so that could change as more studies are conducted.
Is Soy Good for Overactive Bladder?
The Science: The science backs this one up! One study found that soy isoflavones can calm down “detrusor overactivity”, which is when the detrusor muscles responsible for bladder emptying will contract involuntarily, leading to that frequent sense of urgency. Even better, they found that you can get those soy isoflavones from either food sources like tofu or from a supplement. When soy is taken in combination with pumpkin seed oil, mentioned before, it gets even better—test subjects that took the combined pumpkin seed oil/soy supplement over 12 weeks improved many of their OAB symptoms.
The Takeaways: Soy appears to have some beneficial effects for OAB. Work more soy into your diet with tofu, tempeh, or edamame, or reach for a supplement that includes soy germ oil to get your daily dose.
Is Green Tea Good for Overactive Bladder?
The Science: Such a good question, and a tricky one! Green tea contains both the potent antioxidant EGCG (which has been shown to improve symptoms of OAB) and caffeine (which is a diuretic and can exacerbate symptoms of OAB.) A study did find that high tea intake is associated with a greater incidence of wet OAB (overactive bladder with incontinence leaks).
The Takeaways: Green tea has a lot of known health benefits, but when it comes to helping OAB, the jury’s still out. An EGCG supplement without caffeine may be helpful, or reach for decaffeinated green tea to enjoy the EGCG benefits without the diuretic effect.
Final Thoughts
Though more research into the benefits of many of these compounds and ingredients is still needed, we’re encouraged that the scientific community is exploring new potential ways of managing OAB through nutrition and supplements. Overactive bladder is such a common experience and one that deserves attention and research. To keep reading about ways to manage OAB, check out some of our other blogs for tips on how to best support your comfort:
The Best Sleeping Positions for Overactive Bladder and Nocturia
Tips on Staying Hydrated with Urinary Incontinence
Our Voiding Diary: A Tool to Track OAB
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This content is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.