When you don’t drink enough water the urine in the bladder can become concentrated, which can lead to strong smells or irritate the bladder and make you go more often. The concentrated urine can cause burning when you urinate, and increase your risk of bladder infections or kidney stones.
People who are prone to infections or kidney stones may benefit from drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water a day. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any heart or kidney issues; in this case, drinking too much water might not be advised.
Paying attention to sodium labels on processed foods and reducing intake of canned soups and vegetables, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and sausages, may help you lower your risk for developing calcium-based kidney stones.
According to the Dietary Guidelines, Americans should consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day. The average is much higher, with many people consuming more than 3,400 mg each day. Most of this salt is hidden in foods such as canned soups, processed meats, hot dogs, chips, and cereal.
Too much caffeine can also result in dehydration, which can increase your risk of kidney stones, bladder infections, and other problems. There is some evidence that women with interstitial cystitis, also known as IC, should avoid caffeine.
Urinary tract infections occur more often in women after sex in women because they have shorter urethras than men. That makes it easy for bacteria to go up into the urinary tract (but not every woman gets infections).
Though rare, men can get urinary tract infections too and they can transmit pathogens to women as well. The groin is a major source of bacteria so men should clean their groin area as part of good personal hygiene.
