Why you must pee regularly
Nov 09, 2004
We often take a pee for granted, but passing water is one of the most rewarding things in life. Apart from cleaning the bladder, urethra and entire body, the relief you get after a pee is really sweet.
By Denis Ocwich
We often take a pee for granted, but passing water is one of the most rewarding things in life. Apart from cleaning the bladder, urethra and entire body, the relief you get after a pee is really sweet.
“Having a good pee when you really need one is almost as good as sex and the aftermath leaves you every bit as glowing,†a British doctor wrote for the Observer News Service recently.
According to medical literature, blood collects toxic wastes from all over the body and delivers them to the kidney, from where they are passed into the bladder for temporary storage before one pees. The most abundant substance in urine is urea, which can be harmful if kept in the body for long.
“Urea is toxic to the body in a way that it enters the red blood cells, which can cause them to burst,†says Dr. Josephine Kasolo, a senior lecturer at the Department of Physiology at Makerere University’s Faculty of Medicine.
According to Kasolo, a normal human being (regardless of sex) produces an average of 1.5 litres of urine a day.
“But if somebody drinks a lot, the output will be higher, and those who take less fluids excrete less urine.†The other contributing factor is weather change.
The minimum quantity of urine a person should release in a day is a half a litre. Healthy human beings are advised to consume between six and eight glasses of clean water a day. This encourages frequent visits to the urinal, which keeps one’s bladder active and clean.
A normal person should pass water at least twice during the day and once at night, Kasolo says. But some people take up to 24 hours without urinating, which is not a healthy practice. This “holding up†is attributed to the contraction of sphincters – the muscles that are controlled by the brain.
The longer a person takes without urinating, the more concentrated the urine gets. “As urine remains in the bladder, more is re-absorbed into the body (as water),†Kasolo explains. And that is why if you take longer to pee, urine can get yellowish or pale.
Besides, frequent urination flushes out harmful germs from the bladder and urethra. This helps to prevent bladder infections. “The more urine remains in the bladder, the more likely one gets infections,†says Kasolo.
Prof. Henry Wabinga of the Faculty of Medicine says holding up urine might even lead to cancer. “If the urine remains in the bladder, it can act as a breeding ground for bacteria, which might lead to chronic infections and cancer of the urinary bladder,†he explains.
Dr. Martin Kalyemenya of Makerere University’s Faculty of Medicine at Mulago Hospital, also agrees: “If there is a permanent problem with your urinary tube, like gonorrhea infections – the urine collected in your bladder can attract bacteria to multiply and cause infection through the urethra up to the kidney.â€
Bladder infections are characterised by an urgent desire to empty the bladder. Symptoms include frequent urination, pain during urination, bladder spasms and a feeling of having to urinate even though little or no urine actually comes out. In some cases, you may have bloody or foul-smelling urine, and maybe a mild fever.
Those who take alcohol, Kalyemenya says, usually urinate more frequently than teetotallers. The Observer News Service reported that holding on to one’s pee, “damns up your energy flow, strains your kidneys and diminishes overall effectiveness.â€
An American health NGO, OhioHealth, advises that one pees as soon as he or she feels the urge. “Holding in your urine makes it difficult to empty the bladder completely,†the NGO advises.
During pregnancy, due to the pressure that the uterus puts on the bladder, some women may leak urine when sneezing, coughing or laughing. To avoid it, one should visit the loo more frequently.
Sexually active people are advised to urinate within 15 minutes after intercourse (or right after) and gently wash the genital area to remove bacteria. On the whole, whether it is after sex or any time of the day or night, a good pee does not come without somebody having taken enough water. The more you drink, the more you pee and clean your body.
Ends
We often take a pee for granted, but passing water is one of the most rewarding things in life. Apart from cleaning the bladder, urethra and entire body, the relief you get after a pee is really sweet.
“Having a good pee when you really need one is almost as good as sex and the aftermath leaves you every bit as glowing,†a British doctor wrote for the Observer News Service recently.
According to medical literature, blood collects toxic wastes from all over the body and delivers them to the kidney, from where they are passed into the bladder for temporary storage before one pees. The most abundant substance in urine is urea, which can be harmful if kept in the body for long.
“Urea is toxic to the body in a way that it enters the red blood cells, which can cause them to burst,†says Dr. Josephine Kasolo, a senior lecturer at the Department of Physiology at Makerere University’s Faculty of Medicine.
According to Kasolo, a normal human being (regardless of sex) produces an average of 1.5 litres of urine a day.
“But if somebody drinks a lot, the output will be higher, and those who take less fluids excrete less urine.†The other contributing factor is weather change.
The minimum quantity of urine a person should release in a day is a half a litre. Healthy human beings are advised to consume between six and eight glasses of clean water a day. This encourages frequent visits to the urinal, which keeps one’s bladder active and clean.
A normal person should pass water at least twice during the day and once at night, Kasolo says. But some people take up to 24 hours without urinating, which is not a healthy practice. This “holding up†is attributed to the contraction of sphincters – the muscles that are controlled by the brain.
The longer a person takes without urinating, the more concentrated the urine gets. “As urine remains in the bladder, more is re-absorbed into the body (as water),†Kasolo explains. And that is why if you take longer to pee, urine can get yellowish or pale.
Besides, frequent urination flushes out harmful germs from the bladder and urethra. This helps to prevent bladder infections. “The more urine remains in the bladder, the more likely one gets infections,†says Kasolo.
Prof. Henry Wabinga of the Faculty of Medicine says holding up urine might even lead to cancer. “If the urine remains in the bladder, it can act as a breeding ground for bacteria, which might lead to chronic infections and cancer of the urinary bladder,†he explains.
Dr. Martin Kalyemenya of Makerere University’s Faculty of Medicine at Mulago Hospital, also agrees: “If there is a permanent problem with your urinary tube, like gonorrhea infections – the urine collected in your bladder can attract bacteria to multiply and cause infection through the urethra up to the kidney.â€
Bladder infections are characterised by an urgent desire to empty the bladder. Symptoms include frequent urination, pain during urination, bladder spasms and a feeling of having to urinate even though little or no urine actually comes out. In some cases, you may have bloody or foul-smelling urine, and maybe a mild fever.
Those who take alcohol, Kalyemenya says, usually urinate more frequently than teetotallers. The Observer News Service reported that holding on to one’s pee, “damns up your energy flow, strains your kidneys and diminishes overall effectiveness.â€
An American health NGO, OhioHealth, advises that one pees as soon as he or she feels the urge. “Holding in your urine makes it difficult to empty the bladder completely,†the NGO advises.
During pregnancy, due to the pressure that the uterus puts on the bladder, some women may leak urine when sneezing, coughing or laughing. To avoid it, one should visit the loo more frequently.
Sexually active people are advised to urinate within 15 minutes after intercourse (or right after) and gently wash the genital area to remove bacteria. On the whole, whether it is after sex or any time of the day or night, a good pee does not come without somebody having taken enough water. The more you drink, the more you pee and clean your body.
Ends