Yo, listen up! Marijuana is becoming more and more mainstream, just like alcohol. It’s becoming a regular part of people’s lives, ya feel me? But here’s the thing, just like how beer makes you wanna hit up the restroom, it turns out that cannabis might have a similar effect. Yeah, heavy use of weed might be linked to having an overactive bladder.
Now, an overactive bladder is when you gotta pee more often than usual. It includes things like waking up in the middle of the night to take a leak and not being able to hold it when you feel the urge. It’s considered a chronic disease, man. At its worst, it’s a major inconvenience and can mess with your sleep, but it can also lead to other conditions. This thing affects a whopping 33 million adults out there, including around 30% of dudes and 40% of ladies. However, that number might actually be higher ’cause a lot of people feel embarrassed about it and don’t seek help.
So peep this, there was this study published in the American Journal of Medicine that looked into whether smoking weed has any impact on overactive bladders. And guess what? They found that regular marijuana consumers are more likely to suffer from this condition compared to non-users. Yeah, they did some research from 2005 to 2018 and collected data on peeps aged 18 to 59 who were regular or non-regular smokers. They asked ’em all sorts of questions about their drug use and kidney conditions. They gathered over 18,000 samples for this study, with about 24% of the respondents identifying as regular smokers. Now, these regular smokers were more likely to be dudes, single, smokers (obviously), on the slimmer side, and younger compared to the other participants.
But hold up, why does weed mess with our bladders like that? Well, the study doesn’t have all the answers, my friend. But what they did find is that regular smokers were at a higher risk of having an overactive bladder and specifically, they were more likely to experience nocturia. Nocturia is when you gotta wake up in the middle of the night to go drain the lizard, you know what I’m saying? So basically, if you’re a regular smoker, you might be more at risk for this bladder disorder.
But here’s the thing, my dudes. The study straight up says that their data doesn’t support using weed as a medical treatment for peeps with overactive bladders. They’re like, “Nah, it ain’t worth it ’cause weed comes with its own set of health problems.” So yeah, before you start freaking out about your ganja habit causing bladder issues, there are actually multiple causes for having an overactive bladder. It could be from drinking too much fluid, having urinary tract infections (UTIs), sippin’ on caffeinated drinks or alcohol, munching on spicy foods or other bladder irritants, or even having certain health conditions like bladder stones or diabetes. Oh yeah, and some medications can also mess with your bladder, so if you’re experiencing any issues, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor.
So there you have it, folks. Smoking weed might make you more prone to having an overactive bladder. But don’t trip too hard ’cause there are other factors at play too. Just remember to stay hydrated, watch what you eat and drink, and if you’re really worried about it, hit up your doc for some advice. Peace out!