What our research says about your fluid intake

It's one of the most common things our customers tell us they do. And it's the one habit we most often gently suggest they rethink.

Why less water can mean more trips

When you drink less, your body holds on to the water it has. Your kidneys still need to clear waste, so they make a smaller amount of urine that's much more concentrated.

That concentrated urine can irritate the lining of your bladder. An irritated bladder tends to send "I need to go" signals sooner - even when it isn't very full. So you may end up heading to the loo just as often, with less to show for it.

The knock-on effects

Cutting back on fluids rarely stops at one problem. It can also lead to:

• Darker, stronger-smelling wee

• Constipation

• Headaches and tiredness

• A bladder that's used to holding less

Constipation matters more than you might think. A full bowel presses on your bladder, leaving it less room - another reason to keep fluids steady.

How much is about right?

The NHS suggests aiming for 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water counts, and so do tea, coffee and lower-fat milk - it's a guide, not a target you have to hit exactly.

Your needs go up on hot days, when you're active, or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. So rather than counting glasses, it's often easier to check one simple thing.

The colour check

Pale straw-coloured wee generally means you're drinking enough. Darker yellow or amber is your body's way of asking for a top-up.

It's normal for your first wee of the morning to be a little darker. If it stays dark through the day, that's your cue to drink a bit more.

What our own research found

In our WISE study, published in the journal Continence, we surveyed 1,280 of our customers about their bladder habits. Women who drank 9 or more cups of fluid a day had more than three times the odds of going to the loo 8 or more times a day, compared with women who drank 5 cups or fewer.

So yes - more in does tend to mean more out. That's your kidneys doing their job, not a sign something's wrong. But if frequent daytrips to loo is something you are working, on then consider capping it at 8 cups of total fluid intake per day.

It's finding your middle ground - enough to keep your wee pale, without topping up all day long.

Small steps, not a total overhaul

You don't need to double your water overnight. Add one extra glass a day, check the colour, and notice how your bladder responds over time.

If you're still going more often than you'd like after making changes like these, or your wee is consistently dark, cloudy or a different colour, it's worth speaking to your GP. Your bladder works hard for you every day - it deserves to be properly looked after. We’ve also added rosemary and sage extracts to our coreCTRL alongside our hero pumpkin seed extract to help keep the bladder calmer for longer.