In 2012, Viggo Hansen, a substitute member of the Swedish county council, made headlines around the world when he proposed a motion that men in the council would have to sit down to urinate when using the office bathroom. Sitting, he argued, would make the bathroom cleaner. He also claimed that sitting would reduce the risk of prostate cancer and allow men to have a healthier sex life. The first idea is hard to refute, and both men and women would have the same idea. But a new systematic review analysis published in the medical journal PLoS ONE sheds light on the second idea.
Leiden University Medical Center
Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands pooled and analyzed 11 studies to compare the effects of sitting and standing on three key urodynamic parameters: maximum flow rate, urination time (how long it takes to urinate), and residual urine volume (the amount of urine in the bladder).
In healthy men, the team found no differences between these variables. Sitting was no better than standing for urinary health. However, the meta-analysis showed that men with lower urinary tract symptoms ( LUTS ) were able to empty their bladders more completely, with 25 milliliters less urine in the bladder. Men with LUTS had a greater urine flow rate and urinated 0.62 seconds less, but neither result was statistically significant.
LUTS affects about 40% of older men and includes symptoms such as increased urinary frequency, painful urination, and incomplete bladder emptying. The most common cause is a benign enlargement of the prostate gland.
Based on this evidence, the researchers recommend that men with LUTS consider sitting to urinate. Residual urine in the bladder is associated with an increased incidence of bladder stones and urinary tract infections , and men with LUTS are better able to empty their bladders. Of course, there is no evidence that sitting is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer or a better sex life. There does not seem to be any direct health reason for healthy men to sit to urinate.
Important information
The following information is the consensus reached by people at present, for your reference.
First, prevent the spread of disease
Second, improve bladder and prostate health
Third, improve sex life
To urinate standing up or not to urinate standing up is the question. First, sitting down ensures that no urine is left on the toilet seat. Sitting up also improves bladder and prostate health, reduces LUTS, and fully empties the bladder. Some experts also link sitting down to peeing with better sexual performance, thanks to improved prostate health.
“Real men pee standing up” is a phrase most men have heard since they were little. While the phrase itself is full of gender stereotypes and unfounded machismo (?), the real question is, is it healthier for men to pee standing up or sitting down? If you think there’s some cool evolutionary perspective behind why most men pee standing up, you’d be wrong. Historically, there’s no real reason why men started peeing standing up and women squatting. Maybe it was just because it was quicker and more convenient. Or maybe it was just because they could!
Today, there are enough people to vouch for both sides of the argument. So, let’s take a closer look at why sitting down to pee is a healthier and more hygienic position for men.
First, it prevents the spread of infectious diseases.
If the gross splatter you leave behind doesn’t convince you to change your spot, think of all the infectious diseases you’re spreading! While urine is sterile once it enters the body, accumulating on the toilet seat is less so.
Healthier bladder
Urine droplets spread germs that cause the common cold, flu, rubella, and meningococcal disease, among others. If you are sick, you could pass your infection on to people who use the restroom after you. If you use a public stall, you could become a target of these infections.
Second, it may be healthier for your bladder
If you suffer from lower urinary tract symptoms (or LUTS), you might want to sit down and read this. Symptoms of LUTS include an urgent and frequent urge to urinate, a weak or slow urine stream, and urine remaining in the bladder after urinating. Studies show that sitting down to urinate can improve prostate health. It relaxes the bladder, empties the bladder, improves urine flow, and reduces LUTS.
Third, it can improve your sex life
Some experts claim that sitting to pee can also improve performance in bed by improving prostate health. Although this hypothesis has not been clinically proven, it does make sense. Both prostate problems and LUTS are associated with male sexual dysfunction, and since sitting to pee can solve these problems to a certain extent, this is also good news for men’s sex lives.
On a lighter note, it can also improve your sex life in other ways – haven’t you heard that a clean toilet seat is an aphrodisiac for women?
If you’re wondering “Who sits down to pee?” Well, most Asian men like to pee while sitting down. One in three men pee while sitting down regularly. One hundred percent of women hate seeing urine stains left on the toilet bowl.
Sitting down to pee can be more comfortable, especially if you have to poop too. You can also take your phone in during this time to finish reading that important WeChat message. Who doesn’t want to kill two birds with one stone?
