Why Does Alcohol Make You Pee?
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You’re at happy hour enjoying a cocktail with some friends. You’re catching up on life, listening to your friend tell a story about her latest dating escapes. You burst into laughter, and suddenly it hits you: you have to pee. Badly. You’ve only had about one drink, and you’re pretty sure you didn’t drink enough water today anyway. So how is this possible?
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I pee so much when I drink alcohol?” then it’s time to look at the science behind it. In this post, we’ll explore why alcohol makes us have to urinate more frequently. We’ll also look at the consequences of excessive urination, and what we can do to manage our need to pee while drinking. Let’s dive in!
You’re definitely not imagining it: everytime you drink alcohol, you end up taking way more trips to the bathroom than you normally would. As the night goes on, it probably seems like you’re having to pee every ten minutes. So why does alcohol make you pee? (And it’s a question that can be asked of every kind of alcoholic drink: why does beer make you pee? Why did that pitcher of margaritas make you pee? Why does doing shots make you pee?)
It all comes down to the fact that alcohol is a diuretic, which means it promotes water loss through urine. It does this by inhibiting the production of a hormone called vasopressin — otherwise referred to as the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) — which plays a large role in the regulation of water excretion.
Normally, ADH helps our kidney reabsorb water, keeping us from losing too much of it. Our kidneys are responsible for generating urine, which travels via ureters to the bladder. When full, the bladder sends a signal to the brain, leading to urination through the urethra.
When we start drinking, however, alcohol stops ADH production and our kidneys don’t reabsorb as much water. Instead, it is sent straight to our bladders, causing increased urination. (Fun fact: our bladder is capable of holding 1.5 to 2 cups of urine at a time).
The diuretic process continues until the alcohol is out of our system. This is why we suddenly have the urge to urinate shortly after we start drinking and why we continue experiencing that urge throughout the night. It’s also why we’re sometimes warned about “breaking the seal” too early, even though this is more a psychological concept than an actual physiological reality.
In the medical landscape, diuretics — otherwise referred to as “water pills” — are drugs used to help our kidneys get rid of extra water and salt from our body through our urine. They’re sometimes prescribed to help bring blood pressure down or if we have too much fluid collecting because of heart failure or other medical problems.
Apart from the annoying side effect of causing us to pee more frequently, diuretics can be dangerous because of the dehydrating effect they have on our body. So, if you’ve ever wondered, “does alcohol dehydrate you?”, the answer is a resounding yes!
By suppressing ADH, alcohol can make our kidneys release more water, essentially expelling water from our body. Each time we urinate, we lose not just water, but vital electrolytes. This can lead to dehydration, which can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and worsen hangover symptoms. In fact, consuming one glass of water for every drink we have can make a big difference in how we’ll feel the next day.
Why is hydration so important to begin with? Great question! We can think about our body like a machine: in order for all its parts to function properly and run smoothly overall, it needs to be oiled and well-lubricated.
Similarly, our body relies on water for many of its vital functions, such as regulating body temperature, keeping joints lubricated, preventing infections, delivering nutrients to cells, preventing muscle cramps, and keeping organs functioning properly. Not only that, but studies have shown that good hydration can improve sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
On the flip slide, even just mild dehydration can cause problems with blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. And severe dehydration can lead to weakness, confusion, kidney damage, brain damage, and even death.
Alcohol’s diuretic effect can also lead to sleep interruptions, causing us to get up in the middle of night to pee — sometimes multiple times. Alcohol negatively impacts our quality of sleep as it is (including our REM cycle) so it’s really just a double whammy.
Sometimes, if we drink too much, we might even end up wetting the bed. This usually happens when we binge drink or black out from drinking, as we might lose consciousness and not wake up when our bladder signals to our brain that we need to pee. In other words, just because we’re passed out doesn’t mean that our bladder stops filling up from the alcohol we consumed. And when it becomes distended or maxed out, we’ll pee whether we want to or not!
Is there more behind the question “Why does alcohol make you pee?” Research indicates that there are several factors that can influence alcohol’s diuretic effects. Here are 4 of them:
Now that we have a better understanding of the factors that influence alcohol’s diuretic effect, we can shed light on how to stop peeing so much when drinking alcohol. Here are 7 tips:
Alcohol makes us have to pee more because it is a diuretic. Like all diuretics, alcohol inhibits the release of vasopressin — the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) — causing our kidneys to release more water that ends up in our bladder. This can have a dehydrating effect on our body that not only makes us urinate more, but also causes a host of side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, and nausea. The best way to prevent this from occurring is to reduce our alcohol consumption or eliminate it entirely. If we do choose to drink alcohol, it’s important to drink in moderation, choose low alcohol content beverages, and stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.
If you want insight into some of the most effective tips and strategies for cutting back on your alcohol consumption, consider trying Reframe. We’re a neuroscience-backed app that has helped millions of people reduce their alcohol consumption and enhance their health and well-being.
1. Why does alcohol make you pee?
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it promotes water loss through urine. It does this by inhibiting production of a hormone called vasopressin — otherwise referred to as the antidiuretic hormone (ADH) — which plays a large role in the regulation of water excretion.
2. Does alcohol dehydrate you?
Yes! Diuretics not only cause us to pee more, but can be dangerous because of the dehydrating effect they have on our body. Every time we urinate, we lose water and vital electrolytes that are essential for keeping many of our bodily systems functioning properly.
3. What types of things affect alcohol’s diuretic effects?
Some studies indicate that the alcohol content of beverages, our hydration levels before drinking, and the frequency in which we consume alcohol can play a role in whether alcohol will cause us to urinate more frequently.
4. How can we stop peeing so much when drinking alcohol?
If we choose to drink alcohol, we can help manage our need to pee by drinking in moderation, choosing low alcohol content beverages, avoiding drinks with carbonation, caffeine, and sugar, and staying hydrated by drinking lots of water. And never hold in your pee!
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