If you're peeing up to seven times daily, you're within the global average. Certain factors could cause people to pee more or less on some days and other times. However, abnormal peeing frequency may sometimes signal the need to see a doctor.
That's because your peeing frequency is a straightforward sign of your overall health, beginning from infancy and continuing throughout your life. Stay on the page to find out when peeing frequency may signal the need to visit the physician.
Peeing Frequency and Your Health
Most people pee about six to eight times daily. But it isn’t abnormal to pee about more or less on any given day. Some common reasons for varying peeing frequency include:
- Age
- Fluid content and intake
- Medical conditions
- Medication usage
- Bladder size
The rest of the article explores what to learn from your peeing frequency:
1. There May Be a Medical Condition
Certain medical conditions such as urinary tract infections (UTI), diabetes, urinary retention, hypocalcemia, and hypokalemia, may cause people to urinate frequently. UTI may be more frequent in women, but it could occur in everyone. It's known for causing frequent (however small) urinary output.
People with urinary retention can't fully empty the bladder due to various factors like medication usage, bladder muscle dysfunction, or neurological factors.
Diabetes also causes frequent urination as the body strives to rid excess blood sugar, while hypocalcemia/hypokalemia subsists on abnormal quantities of minerals in the body. Consider seeing your doctor if you think your excessive urination may be linked to a medical condition.
2. You May Be Pregnant
During some pregnancy cases, and even during postpartum recovery, women could pee more frequently than usual. Some people urinate more frequently due to hormonal changes alongside bladder pressure from the growing fetus.
After birth, they continue to have increased urinary output for weeks. That happens due to the extra fluids that may have entered their body from an IV, medication, or via their body’s natural response to mobilize and eliminate fluids after birth.
3. Certain Foods and Supplements Are Complicit
Some foods or supplements are natural diuretics and can increase the amount of fluid the body eliminates. These range from popular medicinal drinks known to cause frequent urination like caffeine, green/black tea, and parsley to supplements like dandelion. Also, excessive Vitamin D intake and calcium supplements can cause frequent urination.
4. A Medication Is Doing Its Job
People suffering from heart problems such as high blood pressure or poor kidney function often take medications called diuretics. Diuretics help the kidney filter out more fluid in the urine. So if you're taking diuretics like the following, then the reason behind your urination may not be far-fetched:
- Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
- Chlorthalidone (Thalitone)
- Indapamide
- Metolazone
- Spironolactone (Aldactone)
- Triamterene (Dyrenium)
Final Thoughts
If you've been confused about the reason behind your frequent urination, you likely are less in the dark about the situation after going through this post.
However, if you think your frequent urination may be due to medically inclined reasons, consider seeing a physician to get a proper diagnosis of your health status.