Should men pee sitting or standing? It’s a question that’s roiled Reddit threads and pubs for years.
Sure, sitting is relaxing, but standing is manly or… something? The pro-standers have never made a great argument. But luckily, a new research paper published in Neurourology and Urodynamics, brought to our attention by ScienceAlert, actually put the debate to the test using real people, real bladders, and real intense urges to pee.
(Although reading people arguing about something so silly on Reddit is also fun.)
Is It Healthier for Men to Pee Sitting Down? Here’s What New Research Says.
Led by the Colombian Urology Research Group, scientists conducted a randomized crossover trial on 52 healthy male volunteers aged 18 to 39. Participants took a mandatory 24-hour “washout period” between sit pees and stand pees so researchers could record maximum flow rates and total volume expelled in both positions.
They found that for healthy guys with no urinary problems, posture makes no actual difference. It all comes down to personal preference and comfort level at that point. Maximum urinary flow and total volume emptied were functionally identical. Standing took a fractionally tiny bit to hit top speed, but researchers chalk it up to a statistical quirk that could’ve just been an outlier.
Older fellas with enlarged prostates or urinary issues might benefit from sitting down to avoid straining or splashback, but for everyone else, your body functions fine either way. Just make sure it goes in the bowl.
The tile around the toilet isn’t close enough, and neither is the toilet seat.
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