Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common sexual health issues in men that can arise from a variety of physical and psychological factors such as aging, cardiovascular disease, or performance anxiety, just to name a few.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that many men wonder if yet another common condition that happens to all men when they age – frequent urination – is somehow linked to ED. And why not? The concerns are valid.
The short answer is that while there is no evidence linking frequent urination and erectile dysfunction, several physical factors that may lead to ED can also affect the frequency with which you need to urinate.
How frequent should I be urinating?
Your body’s current state of hydration determines the frequency with which you urinate daily.
That said, it’s perfectly normal to urinate more frequently, have a strong urine flow, and clear urine when you drink more liquids.
There is no hard and fast rule regarding the “right” number of times you should urinate daily. In general, it’s normal to relieve yourself about six to eight times a day. Urinating more than this round figure may indicate an underlying bladder health issue or perhaps a habit that is interfering with your urinary health.
Frequent urination can affect your quality of life. For instance, it could interfere when you’re trying to enjoy a romantic night with your partner, socializing with your friends, or going out to see a concert.
Moreover, urinating frequently can cause a lingering sense of discomfort in your bladder. Nocturia, or frequent urination at night, may interfere with the sleep patterns that cause you to feel lethargic throughout the daytime.
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Is frequent urination a cause for concern?
Does frequent urination indicate anything amiss with your health?
Frequent urination may be caused or exacerbated by numerous factors such as health issues, taking certain medicines, lifestyle factors, and habits.
Frequent urination is most commonly caused by the following:
- Prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH is a common condition affecting middle-aged and older men that involves prostate enlargement. As the prostate enlarges, it affects bladder function by putting pressure on the bladder wall. This leads to frequent urination, weak urine flow, or accidental emissions of urine, among other urinary issues.
- Urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI is caused when bacteria enter the urethra, leading to infections that may develop in the bladder, urethra, or kidneys. UTI affects urine flow by causing painful or frequent urination, blood in the urine, or a sharp or burning sensation when you urinate. UTI may also give you a feeling that you need to pee, even when your bladder is empty.
- Kidney and urinary tract diseases. Kidney and urinary tract disorders can lead to issues with bladder control, including urinating more frequently than the norm.
- Nerve disease and nerve damage. Diseases and injuries occurring around or damaging nerves in the pelvic or penis regions may interfere with your urine flow and control, leading to issues like frequent or leaky urination.
- Caffeine overconsumption. Caffeine is linked to frequent urination in individuals who display symptoms of an overactive bladder. For instance, you might notice a need to urinate more frequently when consuming more than your fair share of caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea, soft drinks, or energy drinks.
Lifestyle habits and other health conditions may affect the frequency of your urinary habits, such as alcohol and/or recreational drug use, poorly managed diabetes, anxiety and stress, problems involving the spine, pelvic tumors or growths, strokes, or conditions affecting the bladder such as interstitial cystitis.
Medications such as diuretics, on the other hand, may also have you running to the bathroom to urinate more frequently. Artificial sweeteners used in “light” soft drinks or low-calorie foods may also trigger frequent urination in some individuals.
Frequent or nocturnal urination in women may be caused by an inflammation of the vagina called vaginitis. Vaginitis is caused by an imbalance in yeast and bacteria. Women may also experience increased urination while pregnant.
Lastly, your daily fluid intake is one factor that plays an integral role in your urinary habits. If you drink copious amounts of water, soft drinks, or other liquids, you’ll tend to urinate more often than you would if you drank less fluids.
Do ED drugs like sildenafil (Viagra) cause frequent urination?
There is no evidence linking ED drugs like sildenafil (Viagra) to frequent urination. On the contrary, the existing research suggests that sildenafil (Viagra) may actually help men with particular underlying health conditions control their urinary habits.
A 2007 study published in the Journal of Urology showed that men with prostate enlargement and erectile dysfunction were less likely to develop lower urinary tract and ED symptoms after undergoing sildenafil (Viagra) treatment.`
There is no apparent link between sildenafil or PDE5 inhibitor ED drug use (such as tadalafil, vardenafil, or avanafil) and an increased likelihood of developing frequent urination.
Are erectile dysfunction and frequent urination linked to one another?
Frequent urination has no bearing on your erectile function or sexual health on its own. Neither does it cause ED or sexual dysfunction. However, some underlying health conditions that might lead you to urinate more often are linked to an increased likelihood of developing ED, such as unmanaged diabetes, an enlarged prostate, spinal health issues, or a history of radiation treatment.
Healthy erectile function is all based on healthy blood circulation and nerve function. Sexual arousal triggers the nerve endings in your penis to release naturally-occurring substances that dilate your blood vessels to allow greater blood flow into the penile tissue, particularly the spongy tissue of the corpus cavernosum, which increases in size and hardness when it is engorged with blood.
Therefore, conditions affecting blood circulation and nerve function may interfere with erectile function and urinary habits.
However, no causal relationship between ED and frequent urination (and vice-versa) has been established. Thus, one doesn’t cause the other.
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What should I do if my urinary habits become more frequent than usual?
If you’re noticing an uptick in the number of times you need to get up and relieve yourself, consult your doctor. It’s helpful to keep track of how often you urinate and any other pertinent information you think your healthcare provider might deem useful to help them understand why you’re urinating more frequently than usual.
Your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and go over your medical history. Make sure to explain any issues you might have had in the past with your urinary habits and if they had been caused by illness, lifestyle, or any habits that might contribute to it.
Your doctor may also run you through several tests to determine the cause of your frequent urination, such as urinalysis, urine culture testing, cystoscope exams, or ultrasound imaging in the pelvic or abdominal region.
If your doctor has reason to believe that your urinary problems are caused by nerve damage or disease, they may ask you to undergo tests involving your nervous system.
The good news is that most causes of frequent urination can be treated with medicines, lifestyle changes, or a combined approach.
If your frequent urination is caused by a urinary tract infection, you might be put on a regimen of antibiotics by your doctor for several days. If so, you should complete the entire course of the antibiotic treatment your doctor has prescribed, even if your symptoms have improved before the end of your regimen. Abruptly stopping your antibiotic treatment can lead to a recurrence of your infection, often making it harder to treat, if not worsening its effects on you.
Frequent urination arising from lifestyle-related causes like alcohol use or excessive caffeine intake can be treated by simply curtailing consumption or reducing fluid intake before bedtime.
Work closely with your doctor and follow their advice. And if you still urinate more frequently than usual after receiving treatment or making lifestyle changes, let them know.
