Can Energy Drinks Cause UTIs?

Written by

Jessica Guht

Jessica is a medical writer with an unquenched thirst to discover something new. She believes that medical content should be accessible to everyone and strives to write content that every single person can understand. When Jessica isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading a book with a dog cuddled in her lap. Jessica has a Masters of Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Medically reviewed by

Amy Dougherty, FNP-BC, AGAC

Amy is a Board Certified Family Health Nurse Practitioner (FNP) with over 15 years of experience working in Hospital Medicine, Urgent Care and Primary Care practices. Amy graduated Thomas Jefferson University with high distinction earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2008, a Master of Science in Nursing in 2010 and a Post Master's Certificate in Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGAC) in 2014. She was recognized by the Elite American Nurses Association in 2013 for her dedication, achievements and leadership in the field Nursing. She served as a clinical preceptor for a number of Nurse Practitioner students and enjoys teaching the bright minds of future NPs.

As an energy supplier, it should come as no surprise that energy drinks contain caffeine. Yet while many people rely on energy drinks to get through their day or power through a workout, can energy drinks cause UTIs?

The answer is no! However, while energy drinks do not cause UTIs, their caffeine content can increase your risk of getting a UTI and may worsen UTI symptoms. Continue reading to explore this relationship further. 

Key Takeaways:

• Energy drinks do not cause UTIs.
• Energy drinks contain caffeine, which is a diuretic and urinary tract irritant.
• Energy drinks can increase your risk of a UTI.
• You can lower your risk by reducing or avoiding caffeine and peeing whenever the need arises.

Table of Contents

• How Do Energy Drinks Contribute to the Factors That Increase UTI Risk?
• How Can You Lower Your Risk of Getting a UTI?
• What to Do If You Already Have a UTI?
• In Conclusion

How Do Energy Drinks Contribute to the Factors That Increase UTI Risk?

While energy drinks do not cause UTIs, they may increase your risk of developing them. This is because of the caffeine in energy drinks, which can irritate the lining of your bladder. When this lining is irritated, it can be more susceptible to infection.

It is believed that caffeine irritates the urinary tract by increasing salt levels in your urine, disrupting the bladder’s lining. This irritation then makes it easier for the bacteria that cause UTIs to infect the urinary tract.

Furthermore, it’s suggested that drinking caffeinated beverages, such as energy drinks, while you have a UTI can make your symptoms worse. One reason for this is that the more caffeine you drink, the more you need to urinate. Since UTIs are often accompanied by painful urination, this increased need to urinate can be unpleasant. 

Other studies have shown that caffeine can worsen lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women and men. 

How Can You Lower Your Risk of Getting a UTI?

The following tips can help you lower your risk of a UTI.

Reduce Your Caffeine

When it comes to energy drinks, the best way to lower your risk of a UTI is to reduce or avoid caffeinated beverages entirely, particularly because of their ability to make your body more susceptible to illness. 

Urinate When Needed

One risk factor for UTIs is holding in your pee, as this allows bacteria a longer amount of time inside the bladder to grow and reproduce, which can lead to infection. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it increases the amount of water loss in your body. More water loss equates to a greater need to go to the bathroom. However, if you decide to hold your pee, there is a possibility of bacteria growing. 

Because of the effect of caffeine on your water loss, you will likely need to visit the bathroom more frequently when drinking an energy drink, and it’s important to listen to your body’s cues and not ignore them. 

What to Do If You Already Have a UTI?

While some mild UTIs can go away on their own, most UTIs require an antibiotic in order to treat the infection and prevent it from progressing to something more serious. Since a doctor is the only way to get an antibiotic, it’s recommended to schedule an appointment as soon as you notice the symptoms of a UTI so you can start your treatment as soon as possible. 

If you’re looking for a quick and convenient way to meet with a doctor, DrHouse can help. In just 15 minutes, you can meet an online doctor, discuss your symptoms, and receive an antibiotic prescription. 

Beyond seeing a doctor, if you have a UTI, it’s a good idea to stay away from energy drinks until your UTI goes away. 

In Conclusion

Energy drinks contain caffeine, a diuretic and irritant that can make you more susceptible to UTIs. As such, it’s best to limit caffeinated beverages if you get frequent UTIs and to visit the bathroom whenever you need to in order to prevent UTIs. 

If you get a UTI, it’s essential to visit your doctor for an antibiotic, as most UTIs require this medication to treat the infection. Also, if you get a UTI, avoid caffeinated beverages while you have the infection, as the caffeine can make you pee more, worsening your UTI symptoms. 

Sources:

• Le Berre, M., Presse, N., Morin, M., Larouche, M., Campeau, L., Hu, Y. X., Reid, I., & Dumoulin, C. (2020). What do we really know about the role of caffeine on urinary tract symptoms? A scoping review on caffeine consumption and lower urinary tract symptoms in adults. Neurourology and urodynamics, 39(5), 1217–1233. https://doi.org/10.1002/nau.24344 
• Lohsiriwat, S., Hirunsai, M., & Chaiyaprasithi, B. (2011). Effect of caffeine on bladder function in patients with overactive bladder symptoms. Urology annals, 3(1), 14–18. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-7796.75862 
• Maserejian, N. N., Wager, C. G., Giovannucci, E. L., Curto, T. M., McVary, K. T., & McKinlay, J. B. (2013). Intake of caffeinated, carbonated, or citrus beverage types and development of lower urinary tract symptoms in men and women. American journal of epidemiology, 177(12), 1399–1410. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kws411 
• Bono MJ, Leslie SW, Reygaert WC. Urinary Tract Infection. [Updated 2022 Nov 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470195/ 
• CDC. (2022, January 14). Urinary Tract Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/uti.html 

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