How to Increase Your Urine Output

People rarely think much about urination, unless you have to pee and cannot find a bathroom. But urination plays a very important role in keeping you healthy. Urine, generated in the kidneys, helps remove toxins and waste from your body.

Ideally, your body should release a certain amount of urine daily, based on the amount of water and other fluids you take in.

Under normal circumstances, the urine output for a healthy adult should be between 1,000 and 1,500 milliliters per 24 hours.

But at times, you may fall short of the appropriate volume of urine output. In some cases, people may suffer from oliguria, the medical term for urinary output that is less than 400 ml over the course of 24 hours.

There are many potential causes for decreased urine output, such as dehydration, an infection or trauma, a urinary tract obstruction, a side effect of certain medications, kidney problems and your diet.

If your urine output is less than the normal range, you may see swelling in your legs, arms, ankles or face. This can be a sign that you need to take steps to increase your urine output to prevent damaging effects on your kidneys.

Note: If you have persistent swelling, see your doctor to determine if there is an underlying cause that requires treatment.

Here are the top 10 ways to increase your urine output.

1. Drink Your Water

Dehydration is the most common cause of decreased urine output. Typically, dehydration occurs when you do not take in enough fluids or you’re losing fluids due to diarrhea, vomiting or another condition. If the fluids are not adequately replenished, your kidneys will retain as much fluid as possible.

So, the first step toward increasing your urine output is to drink more water to prevent or treat dehydration. Generally, a person’s daily water requirement is 1 quart for every 50 pounds of body weight. This means if you weigh 150 pounds, you need to drink 3 quarts (12 cups) of water a day. Remember, eating water-rich fruits and vegetables will also add to your fluid intake.

However, bear in mind that drinking too much water can also be hard on your kidneys. So, do not overdo it.

Note: If you suffer from kidney disease, follow your doctor’s advice regarding how much water your body needs.

2. Drink Warm Lemon Water

Lemon juice works as a diuretic, hence it helps increase urine output. It also helps get rid of excess salt in your system that may be causing your body to retain fluids. In addition, lemon juice helps fight urinary tract infections and high uric acid problems.

The citric acid in it also enhances your body’s ability to naturally flush out unwanted toxins.

Simply mix the juice of ½ lemon into a glass of hot or warm water. Add some honey and drink it daily on an empty stomach for the best results.

Apart from lemon water, some other beverages that can be used as natural diuretics to improve urine output are green tea, cranberry juice and watermelon juice.

3. Dandelion Root

Dandelion root contains compounds that may increase urine production and decrease water retention in the body.

A 2009 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reports that dandelion works as a diuretic and increases urine production.

Its diuretic nature also helps cleanse both the kidneys and the liver.

1. Boil 2 teaspoons of dried dandelion root in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes.
2. Cover and steep for about 10 minutes.
3. Strain, add some honey and drink the tea.
4. Drink 2 cups of dandelion tea twice daily for a few weeks.

Note: Dandelion root may react with certain medications, so consult your doctor before taking it.

4. Celery Seeds

Celery seed is a food spice and herbal medicine that is a natural diuretic. These seeds contain a compound called n-butylphthalide (NBP) that has a diuretic effect and helps the body eliminate waste products.

In addition to increasing your urine output, celery seeds also help lower cholesterol, prevent urinary tract infections and offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

You can consume celery seeds by adding them to dips and sauces, or use them to make pickles, decorate or flavor your homemade bread, add it to soups and stews or make celery seed tea.

To make celery seed tea:

1. Take 1 tablespoon of celery seeds.
2. Add 2 cups of boiling water on it.
3. Allow it to steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Strain and drink it once daily.

Note: This remedy is not recommended for pregnant women.

5. Parsley

Parsley is another natural diuretic herb that can increase urine output. It can also help flush toxins as well as bacteria and germs out of the kidneys to improve kidney functioning.

A 2002 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reports that rats that drank an aqueous parsley seed extract produced more urine over a 24-hour period as compared to those that drank water.

• Add 1 tablespoon of crushed fresh parsley to 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 5 minutes, then strain it. Drink this tea 2 or 3 times a day for a couple of weeks.
• Alternatively, mix ¼ cup of parsley juice, ½ cup of water and a little honey and lemon juice. Drink it twice daily for a couple of weeks.

Note: Avoid parsley if you are pregnant.

6. Drink Coconut Water

Coconut water is a natural diuretic. When you drink a lot of coconut water, your body is able to flush out toxins from your body via urine.

It also helps prevent urinary tract infection by flushing out bacteria from the urinary tract.

Coconut water also offers other benefits. Due to its rich electrolyte content, coconut water acts as a natural sports drink but without the harmful additions that are present in commercial sports drinks. It has also been known to reduce blood pressure and aids in weight loss.