Biologically, can males hold their pee longer than females (guys have the extra length compared to us)? No. It's not about length. Women do suffer from urinary incontinence twice as often as men, mostly due to the effects of pregnancy and childbirth.
Urinary bladder and urethra
The urinary bladder can store up to 500 ml of urine in women and 700 ml in men. People already feel the need to urinate (pee) when their bladder has between 200 and 350 ml of urine in it.
We consulted Benjamin Brucker, M.D., assistant professor of urology at NYU Langone Medical Center, to find out. How Long Is It Okay to Hold It? Your body's physical capacity to keep in urine is based on a few things: "Most of the time women can hold urine for three to six hours, but this will vary," says Brucker.
The bladder stores urine until it's time to urinate. Urine leaves the body through another small tube called the urethra.
It's common for prostate issues to cause urinary incontinence. Your prostate may be larger due to a non-cancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Your prostate may also be bigger than usual because of cancer. An enlarged prostate can block your urethra.
“Most commonly, if someone isn't able to urinate, the urine backs up and causes swelling of the kidneys and often infection. This can damage the kidneys, and the infection can spread to the bloodstream and become very serious if the urinary obstruction is not relieved.”
In some cases, holding in pee for too long can cause bacteria to multiply. This may lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI). Many doctors recommend avoiding holding in pee for extended periods of time, as it can increase the risk of UTIs, especially if a person has a history of frequent UTIs.
Though a healthy bladder can stretch and accommodate larger volumes of urine, it's important to urinate at regular intervals. “Usually I recommend that you empty your bladder every three hours, whether you have the urge to go or not,” says Nazia Bandukwala, D.O., a urologist at Piedmont.
Pee-gasms, also known as urine or pee orgasms, are a relatively new phenomenon. This sensation occurs when someone intentionally holds their urine for an extended period, resulting in a buildup of pressure in the bladder, which can lead to intense pleasurable sensations when they finally release their urine.
In most cases, however, people can go for 3 to 4 hours between bathroom visits. Of course, this will also vary based on how much and type of liquid a person is drinking; taking in a lot of water over a short period of time or drinking beverages with caffeine might cause a greater urge to pee.
The survey found men in different countries differ in how they pee. In Germany, 40% of men report sitting while they pee every time, as do 25% of Australians. In the United States, it's just 10%. Some people even view standing to pee as “superior” and sitting inferior.
Do pelvic floor muscle exercises. Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, help hold urine in the bladder. Daily exercises can strengthen these muscles, which can help keep urine from leaking when you sneeze, cough, lift, laugh, or have a sudden urge to urinate.
But experts say there is a certain amount of time it should take to empty your bladder. From house cats to elephants, most mammals take about 20 seconds to urinate. That goes for humans as well.
This also applies to normal urinary frequency. For most people, the normal number of times to urinate per day is between 6 – 7 in a 24 hour period. Between 4 and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet.
Anuria, sometimes called anuresis, refers to the lack of urine production. This can happen as a result of conditions like shock, severe blood loss and failure of your heart or kidneys. It can also be due to medications or toxins. Anuria is an emergency and can be life-threatening.
You may pass urine more often than usual because of: Infection, disease, injury or irritation of the bladder. A condition that causes your body to make more urine. Changes in muscles, nerves or other tissues that affect how the bladder works.
For males, peeing after sex is less important. This is because males have a longer urethra. As a result, bacteria from the genital area is less likely to reach the bladder. Although there is no solid evidence to confirm that peeing after sex can prevent UTIs, there is no harm in following this practice.
You shouldn't have to use your muscles to force urine out. A healthy bladder works best if the body just relaxes so that the bladder muscles naturally contract to let the urine flow, rather than using the abdominal muscles to bear down as with a bowel movement.
The risk of a urinary tract infection is increased when you hold in your urine for a long time. Bacteria are present naturally in the urinary tract and are excreted with the urine. When the urine is held in the bladder, bacteria may build up and this can cause infection in any part of the urinary tract.
Some teens and adults also have relatively small bladders that can't hold a lot of pee. Genetics. Teens with enuresis often have a parent who had the same problem at about the same age. Scientists have identified specific genes that cause enuresis.
Overflow incontinence happens when your bladder doesn't empty as it should and then leaks urine later. This happens when bladder muscles are weak or the urethra gets blocked. These blockages can be related to an enlarged prostate or a narrow urethra. Total incontinence happens when you are always leaking urine.