Compared to drinking water before or during a meal, the same volume of water could take 45-120 minutes to consume! No matter what, not all the water you consume can be drained; some will flow along with urine and stool.
How long does it take?
- Plain water: 10 to 20 minutes.
- Simple liquids (clear juices, tea, sodas): 20 to 40 minutes.
- Complex liquids (smoothies, protein shakes, bone broths): 40 to 60 minutes.
Bladder size chart
Age | Average bladder size | Time to fill the bladder up |
Infant (0–12 months) | 1–2 ounces | 1 hour |
Toddler (1–3 years) | 3–5 ounces | 2 hours |
Child (4–12 years) | 7–14 ounces | 2–4 hours |
Adult | 16–24 ounces | 8–9 hours (2 ounces per hour) |
The Path of Water Through Your Body
The voyage of water in the body begins in the mouth, and it takes some time for the water we drink to reach other body regions. If this process is sped up, the demand for water increases.

Water flows from the mouth down the esophagus, an 8-inch-long tube that links the throat to the stomach. The process of water absorption into the bloodstream begins after the water passes through this conduit.
Water subsequently enters the small intestine, where 90% of water absorption happens.
Water travels from the small intestine to the large intestine, where the final 10% of the task is completed. It is in charge of squeezing out any residual water in swallowed meals.
Finally, water reaches the kidney, the organ responsible for toxin removal. It requires a large amount of water to function properly. Most kidney problems develop when the kidney does not receive enough water to function properly.
The kidney frequently reports dehydration by altering urine color from white to vivid yellow.
Reasons why you might need to urinate faster
Medical procedures may necessitate the induction of urine.
The nervous system is usually in charge of signaling when a person’s bladder is full and needs to be emptied. As a result, fullness and pressure are common sensations.
In most circumstances, a person may rely on these natural cues to determine when urine is required. However, there are situations when urinating is required on demand, most notably during medical operations.
Some of the most common reasons a person may be required to pee on demand for a medical test are as follows:
- Testing for drugs
- Ultrasound or radiologic exams
- Urinalysis, urine culture, and blood tests are all options.
- Cystoscopy, in which a tiny tube with a camera examines the bladder, and urethra urodynamic investigations, in which the body stores and releases urine
Urodynamic investigations such as uroflowmetry, cystometrogram (CMG), urethral pressure profiling, and electromyography are examples of urodynamic studies.
Following surgery, a patient may develop a disease known as neurogenic bladder. This is because the nerves no longer notify the brain when it is time to urinate.
A neurogenic bladder can cause a person to either hold urine excessively or have trouble peeing because they cannot feel when their bladder is full.
How can I fill my bladder fast?
Maybe you have a long trip ahead and need to force yourself to pee. Or you might be getting ready for a urine test. Whatever the reasons may be.
Here are 10 strategies that may work:
- Run the water. Turn on the faucet in your sink.
- Rinse your perineum.
- Hold your hands in warm or cold water.
- Go for a walk.
- Sniff peppermint oil.
- Bend forward.
- Try the Valsalva maneuver.
- Try the suprapubic tap.

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