A new study suggests that following a Mediterranean-style diet could help reduce the chances of having an overactive bladder (OAB).
The research was published in the Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition and highlights a possible connection between healthy eating habits and bladder health in adults under 65 years old in the United States.
An overactive bladder is a common condition that causes sudden urges to urinate, sometimes leading to leaks or frequent bathroom visits. It can have a big impact on daily life, making it hard for people to work, sleep, or enjoy social activities.
Current treatments often involve medications, but these can come with side effects and don’t work for everyone. That’s why researchers are looking for other options—like changes in diet—that might help people manage OAB in a safer and more natural way.
The study was led by Li Wang from The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University in China. The team used data from a large national health survey in the U.S. called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which ran from 2005 to 2018.
They looked at over 23,000 adults under age 65 to see whether people who followed the Mediterranean diet were less likely to have OAB.
The Mediterranean diet is based on eating habits from countries around the Mediterranean Sea. It includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil.
It also encourages moderate intake of fish and poultry, while limiting red meat, processed foods, and sugary treats. People who follow this diet are known to have better heart health and lower risks of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
To measure how closely people followed the Mediterranean diet, researchers used something called the “alternative Mediterranean diet score” (aMED). Higher scores meant better adherence to the diet. The participants were then divided into four groups, or quartiles, based on their scores—from lowest (Q1) to highest (Q4).
The results showed that people with higher aMED scores were less likely to have overactive bladder symptoms.
Specifically, those in the highest group (Q4) had a 17% lower chance of having OAB compared to those in the lowest group (Q1), even after taking into account other factors like age, gender, race, income, education, smoking, alcohol use, body weight, calorie intake, and medical history.
The researchers also did a deeper analysis and found that the relationship between the diet and OAB was not a straight line—it was more complex, and income level might influence how strong the effect is. Still, the overall takeaway was clear: eating a healthier diet like the Mediterranean diet could be linked to better bladder control.
This study adds to growing evidence that what we eat affects more than just our weight or heart. It can also impact how our organs work, including the bladder. Since many people with OAB struggle with side effects from medication or cannot afford long-term treatments, changing their diet might be a simpler and more affordable way to find relief.
In conclusion, while more research is needed to prove that the Mediterranean diet directly improves OAB symptoms, this study shows a promising connection. For those dealing with bladder issues, switching to a healthier, plant-based diet could offer benefits beyond just nutrition.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best and worst foods for high blood pressure, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
The study is published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.
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