You step into the shower after a long day, letting the warm water wash over you. And then it hits you-that urge to just let go. It's harmless, it's convenient. But what if that act has hidden risks? Experts warn that peeing in the shower may have an unexpected consequence or two.

Whether you’re a multitasking parent, an athlete fresh from an intense workout, or simply someone who doesn’t want to interrupt a relaxing hot shower, the temptation to relieve yourself under running water is understandable. Some even argue that it saves water and is an eco-friendly choice. But what if this seemingly harmless habit comes with unexpected risks? According to health experts, peeing in the shower can have unintended consequences beyond hygiene concerns.

Although urinating in the shower may appear hygienic due to its immediate wash-away effect, there are other issues of concern. According to a prominent urogynecologist, the habit causes the bladder response to become dysfunctional and weakens the pelvic floor muscles over time. Moreover, exposure to bacteria from shared or public showers poses an issue.

The bladder and brain collaborate to ensure you have the appropriate bladder control. You could unwittingly condition your bladder to feel the need to urinate if you repeatedly urinate in the shower due to the running water. Gradually, you could develop a sensation of urinary urgency-an urgent feeling to urinate that might not be under control.

This habit may worsen the symptoms of an individual with pre-existing conditions like overactive bladder. The ongoing reinforcement of this response could even help in the causation of issues about incontinence later in life.

Increased Risk of Infections

Although urine is generally considered to be relatively sterile, this is not entirely true. Urine can harbor bacteria, especially if a person has an undiagnosed urinary tract infection (UTI). When urinating in the shower, bacteria may spread onto surfaces, leading to an increased risk of infections.

The problem worsens in shared or public showers where urine residue may combine with bacteria and fungi found in damp environments. There is always a high chance of developing infections, which include UTIs, skin infections, or even fungal growth like athlete's foot in these places.

Weakening of Pelvic Floor Muscles

Urinating while standing is not ideal for the pelvic floor of a person with female anatomy. Hovering or standing up doesn't allow the bladder to relax fully and completely empty itself. Eventually, this causes weakened pelvic floor muscles and may result in stress incontinence—when urine leaks due to activities like coughing, sneezing, or exercising.

Pelvic health is important and helps maintain good bladder control; experts advise posture during urination. The process of squatting or sitting wholly on the seat of the toilet will ensure an empty bladder at the end with less strain put on the muscles of the pelvis.

Hygiene Consideration and Cleaning Protocols

If you are going to pee in the shower, then keep it clean. Showers and bathtubs should be cleaned with a disinfectant once a week, as bacteria and mold can collect. Fungi love moist surroundings, and molds in the shower can cause breathing problems or rashes. When you notice that your shower is smelling musty or has visible dark patches on the tiles, it is most likely due to mold accumulation and requires regular cleaning.

For individuals who are going to take showers in public showers, for instance, at a gym or other communal dwelling setting, the danger of contamination with bacteria and fungi is significantly greater. Avoiding contact with moist surfaces while wearing flip-flops can minimize infection risks.

Environmental Considerations: Does It Really Save Water?

The most popular argument in support of peeing in the shower is water conservation. It can take about 1.6 gallons of water to flush a toilet, so peeing in the shower would seem like a very eco-friendly practice. However, the benefits to the environment are minor in comparison to the risks to personal health and hygiene.

If water conservation is a concern, there are alternative approaches, like installing low-flow toilets or adopting sustainable flushing habits like the "if it's yellow, let it mellow" rule, which involves flushing only when necessary.

So, Is It Safe or Not to Pee in Shower?

While an occasional peeing in the shower may not lead to any serious health problems, a habit would surely cause long-term complications. Starting with training your bladder for when running water approaches to weakening the pelvic floor muscles, the risks outweigh the ease of access. Furthermore, hygiene is a concern, especially in a public environment, where this practice might be considered questionable.

If you intermittently pee within the showering, ensure to do it with your shower alone and keep personal hygiene practices; however, more experienced people and medical professionals claim you should overcome the habit all together to defend your bladder for possible complications as well.

The bottom line is that whether you pee in the shower or not is a decision, but the understanding of these risks will definitely make you come up with an informed choice. In case of experiencing urinary urgency or suspecting issues with bladder control, consult a healthcare professional for advice.

Cholesterol problems have become so common today. And all thanks to the greasy, fried food that we devour every now and then. For those who rely on medications, statins work like magic, lowering cholesterol by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, responsible for cholesterol production. Yet, there is a baffling group of people who, despite popping their statin pill religiously, find their cholesterol stubbornly refusing to budge.

For this, nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee has a theory and it has less to do with your medicine cabinet and more to do with what’s on your plate.

How Statins Are Supposed To Work

Statins are designed to block HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis. The job of this enzyme is to synthesise cholesterol. So, it blocks this enzyme so your body cannot synthesise cholesterol, and therefore the cholesterol comes down.

Ideally, the process is simple, wherein the enzyme is blocked, cholesterol is lowered and heart health is safeguarded. But the human body is anything but straightforward, and your diet can play a big role.

What Role Do Carbs Play?

According to Mukerjee, one major reason statins fail to deliver results is the carb overload and not just the obvious food items like cakes or chocolates. “It could be a lot of refined carbs in the sugars, desserts, pastries, and chocolates. Some people are not even eating too many refined carbs, but they are just eating too many carbohydrates, even if they are complex carbs.”

Here is what happens: when you eat a carb-heavy meal, whether it is white bread or whole grains, your body produces insulin to manage the glucose surge. “Insulin activates HMG-CoA reductase and now this enzyme can again do its job of synthesising more cholesterol.”

In other words, you might be blocking the enzyme with statins in one hand but reactivating it with a plateful of rice, rotis, or pasta in the other.

The Inflammation Factor

Carbs are not the only reason. The second reason could be chronic inflammation. Mukerjee explains that persistent low-grade inflammation prompts your liver to churn out more cholesterol. Inflammation can override medication. Diets high in processed foods, poor sleep, chronic stress, and lack of physical activity all fuel inflammation, making your cholesterol harder to control.

Understanding The Role Of Cholesterol

Mukerjee is quick to point out that cholesterol is not all bad. Your body needs cholesterol for repair and lots of other activities. However, too much cholesterol can be harmful to your body. It is a balancing act, enough for healthy cell function and hormone production, but not so much that it clogs arteries.

What Can You Do?

If you are on statins and your cholesterol is still high, Mukerjee recommends looking beyond the pill.

• Reconsider your carb intake

• Reduce inflammation

• Address the root cause

Relying solely on medication without adjusting lifestyle factors can lead to frustration and missed health goals. Mukerjee’s message is that statins are a tool, not a magic bullet. Understanding how diet, especially carbohydrate consumption, can override their effects puts more control back in your hands. Your cholesterol history does not solely depend on your genes or your prescription; it is heavily influenced by your daily food choices and overall health habits.

We have all unintentionally or out of simple curiosity picked our noses as kids, which was immediately followed by an adult telling us that it is bad habit to do so.

Nose-picking is a very common habit, and most people think it's harmless, even if it's considered impolite. However, a study from Griffith University in Australia suggests that this simple act could be riskier than we think.

The study looks at how picking your nose might actually increase your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. The research, which was published in Nature Scientific Reports, explores how certain bacteria can travel from the nose directly to the brain. Once there, they might trigger the kind of biological changes that lead to Alzheimer’s.

Can Nose Infections Affect Your Brain?

Your nose has a special connection to your brain through the olfactory nerve, which is responsible for your sense of smell. This nerve provides a direct pathway, allowing bacteria to bypass the body's normal defenses that would typically stop them from reaching the brain.

In a study on mice, scientists found that a bacterium called Chlamydia pneumoniae, which can cause respiratory infections like pneumonia, used this exact route to get into the central nervous system.

Once the bacteria entered the brain, the brain's cells responded by creating a substance called amyloid beta protein. This protein is a key part of the plaques that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

These plaques are thought to cause many of the disease's symptoms, such as memory loss and confusion. This research shows how a simple action like damaging the inside of your nose could create an opening for these harmful bacteria to get into your brain.

Could Your Nose And Brain Disorders Be Connected?

The study adds to a growing amount of evidence that links infections caused by pathogens (like bacteria and viruses) to dementia. In the past, other studies have found C. pneumoniae in the brains of people who had Alzheimer's. However, this new research in mice is the first to show how these bacteria might actually get there and start the disease process.

The researchers believe that it's likely not just this one bacterium that can cause problems. It could be a combination of different germs and a person's genetics. For example, some studies have also connected the herpes simplex virus to Alzheimer's.

The researchers also think that this isn't a quick process. Getting bacteria in your brain today doesn't mean you'll get dementia next week. Instead, it's believed to set off a very slow progression of changes that might take decades before any symptoms appear.

Why You Should Stop Picking Your Nose

While we still need more research to fully prove a direct link between nose-picking and Alzheimer's, the habit can cause other health issues. When you pick your nose, you can easily introduce germs, like viruses and bacteria, into your nasal cavity. You can also spread those germs to other surfaces.

Most importantly, picking your nose and even plucking nose hairs can damage the delicate tissues inside your nose. This damage can create tiny openings, which, as the research shows, could make it easier for bacteria to travel to your brain.

Health experts are sounding the alarm over nitazenes, a powerful class of synthetic opioids, driving a deadly wave of overdoses across Europe and slowly appearing in the United States.

For years, fentanyl has been blamed for the worst drug crisis in the West. But nitazenes, first developed in the 1950s and never approved for medical use, are emerging as an even deadlier substitute. Many of these compounds are 50 to 250 times stronger than heroin and up to five times more potent than fentanyl. Even trace amounts can cause a fatal overdose.

A Hidden Killer in the Drug Supply

Nitazenes are rarely taken intentionally. More often, they are laced into heroin, counterfeit painkillers, anxiety medications like Xanax and Valium, and even recreational drugs such as cocaine, ketamine, and ecstasy. Users often have no idea they are consuming them, which makes the risk of overdose even higher.

In the United Kingdom, reports the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), at least 400 people died from nitazene-related overdoses in just 18 months leading up to January 2024. Vicki Markiewicz, executive director for the treatment provider Change Grow Live, calls it “the biggest public health crisis for people who use drugs in the U.K. since the AIDS crisis in the 1980s,” reports WSJ.

When a batch of contaminated drugs hits the streets, the result is often clusters of overdoses. In Dublin late last year, about 80 people needed emergency care over a single weekend. In March, 31 overdoses were reported in just a few days in north London.

Families Searching for Answers

The human toll is devastating. In north Wales, police knocked on Anne Jacques’s door to tell her that her 23-year-old son, Alex Harpum, a healthy, rising opera singer, had died in his London apartment, reports the Journal. Initially ruled as sudden adult death syndrome, further testing revealed nitazenes in counterfeit Xanax he had purchased illegally.

“I basically had to investigate my own son’s death,” Jacques said. “You feel like your child has been murdered.”

Similar tragedies are emerging worldwide. In May, two young Londoners died after taking what was believed to be oxycodone laced with nitazenes following a night out.

Why the Drug Is Spreading So Fast

Most nitazenes are manufactured in China and sold online, often openly advertised on global trade websites. Dealers mix them with bulking agents like caffeine to stretch supplies and increase profits. The drug’s extreme potency makes it easy to smuggle in small quantities, appealing to criminal networks.

While the U.S. has reported nitazenes in at least 4,300 drug seizures since 2019, often in fentanyl mixtures, testing remains inconsistent, and official death counts are almost certainly underreported.

Experts warn that the Taliban’s 2022 ban on poppy cultivation, which slashed heroin production, could push traffickers toward synthetic opioids. Countries like Estonia, already battling nitazene-linked overdoses, are bracing for what could become a repeat of fentanyl’s deadly grip in the early 2000s.

A Race Against Time

Authorities say this is a global problem. Nitazenes have been detected on every continent, and without swift action, the death toll could escalate sharply. Health agencies are urging expanded drug testing, public education, and widespread distribution of naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote.

For people like Tina Harris, a long-time heroin user in London who survived a nitazene overdose thanks to naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, notes the National Institutes of Health, US, the danger is clear. “It’s a devil’s trap,” she said. “You never know what’s really in what you’re taking, and by the time you find out, it can be too late.”

What Are Nitazenes?

As per the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Nitazenes are a powerful class of synthetic opioids, drugs that act on opioid receptors in the brain and are chemically related to compounds derived from the opium poppy. They were first developed about 60 years ago as a possible alternative to morphine.

How They Appear

Nitazenes can be sold as a white or brownish-yellow powder, crystalline solid, or pressed into counterfeit pills that resemble prescription painkillers like oxycodone. They have also been detected in heroin, ketamine, synthetic cannabinoids, and other recreational drugs.

Common types include:

• Isotonitazene
• Metonitazene
• Etonitazene
• Protonitazene

They are sometimes referred to as benzimidazole opioids, synthetic opioids, or new psychoactive substances (NPS).

How They’re Used

Nitazenes can be injected, inhaled, or swallowed in tablet form. The effects vary from person to person, depending on factors such as body weight, overall health, tolerance, whether other substances are taken, the dose, and the potency of the batch.

Short-Term Effects

Like other opioids, nitazenes can produce:

• Euphoria and relaxation
• Drowsiness and clumsiness
• Pain relief
• Reduced stress
• Itchiness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and sweating
• Slowed breathing and heart rate

Overdose Risks

Because nitazenes can be as potent, or even more potent, than fentanyl, the risk of overdose is extremely high. Signs of overdose include:

• Slow or shallow breathing
• Blue or gray lips and skin
• Loss of consciousness
• Coma
• Death