Can Diet or Hydrogen Water Help Interstitial Cystitis? A Review
- Authors
- Farouq Bahaa Alahmed, Alexander Hall, Stephen Rhodes, Melissa Jarvis, David Sheyn
- Journal
- International Urogynecology Journal
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00192-026-06572-0
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Interstitial Cystitis
- Body System
- Urological
TL;DR
**TL;DR:** When people with painful bladder syndrome tried cutting out foods that bothered them personally, their symptoms got better—but other popular diet approaches like anti-inflammatory eating didn't help much. Scientists say we need bigger, longer studies to figure out exactly which diets actually work.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich water showed no significant improvement in any symptom measures for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome in the available studies.
Summary
This systematic review examined how different dietary changes affect interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a condition that causes chronic bladder pain and urgency. Researchers reviewed four small studies and found that personalized elimination diets (removing foods that trigger symptoms) significantly reduced pain and symptom scores over 12 months, while anti-inflammatory diets and hydrogen-rich water showed no clear benefit.
Practical Takeaway
While this review found that hydrogen-rich water did not help IC/BPS symptoms in the small trials examined, the overall evidence base for all dietary interventions in this condition is very limited. Anyone considering dietary changes for IC/BPS should work with a healthcare provider, as the strongest evidence currently supports individualized elimination diets rather than hydrogen water or general anti-inflammatory approaches.
Abstract
Introduction and hypothesis: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is prevalent and disrupts daily life. Dietary modification is commonly recommended, but evidence is fragmented. We systematically compared dietary interventions; we hypothesized that individualized elimination may improve symptoms, but overall randomized evidence remains limited. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception through March 2025. Primary outcomes used validated symptom scales (Genitourinary Pain Index [GUPI], O'Leary-Sant Symptom/Problem Index [OSSI/OSPI], and visual analog scale [VAS]). Hedges' g with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated for each comparison (N = 147 participants). Owing to heterogeneity, we conducted a structured narrative synthesis. Results: Four studies with 147 patients were included. Elimination diet significantly reduced the OSSI (g = -0.89, 95% CI -1.61, -0.16) and OSPI (g = -1.97, 95% CI -2.80, -1.15) at 12 months, and showed significant improvements in pain. Anti-inflammatory diet showed no significant differences (g = -0.16, 95% CI -1.04, 0.72 to g = -0.40, 95% CI -1.29, 0.49) on RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology and GUPI scores. E-health-supported dietary coaching moderately improved VAS Pain (g = -0.96, 95% CI -1.46, -0.45) and urgency (g = -0.68, 95% CI -1.18, -0.19). Hydrogen-rich water showed nonsignificant effects across all outcomes. Conclusions: Individualized elimination may offer symptom benefit, whereas anti-inflammatory patterns and hydrogen-rich water showed no clear advantage in small, short-term trials. Current randomized evidence is insufficient to support strong recommendations; adequately powered RCTs (≥ 6-12 months) are needed.