Why does drinking certain liquids (coffee, soda), make you pee more often?
In: Biology
Caffeine is a diuretic which means that it results in an increase in frequency of urination. It can also increase the urge to urinate if consumed in excessive amounts. Caffeine is thought to have a direct effect on the bladder’s smooth muscle which gives the feeling of needing to go. It’s obviously found in tea and coffee but also in many sodas not just Coca-Cola.
On top of the effects already described, there is the matter of sheer volume.
Aside from the diuretic effects of the ingredients involved, most people don’t really track how much they are consuming when it comes to their favorite beverages. The tasty nature and preference for the drink people have will also result in consuming far more than you would drink if it was plain water.
For example, I drink coffee in the morning. I have about 2-3 cups of coffee. Not the actual measurement of a cup, but a “cup” as in my coffee mug. The mug I use translates this 2-3 drinks into approx. 80 oz. of liquid. That’s over half a gallon.
There are a couple of reasons.
Part one: salt:
Soda water contains salt. Salt raises your blood pressure, because it is readily absorbed into your blood stream and then drags water into your blood as well due to osmotic pressure. Your body doesn’t like having elevated blood pressure, so your kidneys will filter out the extra salt and water you just put into your blood.
Part two: caffeine
In your brain there is a gland called the pituitary gland. This gland does a bunch of stuff, but one thing it does is release a hormone called ADH. ADH attaches to a part of your kidney and makes you reabsorb water so that you pee less. Caffeine attacks your pituitary gland and stops you from releasing ADH, which stops you from reabsorbing as much water, which makes you pee more. Caffeine also acts on smooth muscle, which means it will act directly on your bladder itself, making you *feel* like you need to pee. This doesn’t make you pee more volume, but it makes you pee more frequently.
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