Do Raisins Really Control Nighttime Urination – Nocturia

Q. I would like to know if it matters whether you use dark raisins or golden raisins before bed to help reduce nighttime trips to the bathroom?

A. No one has done a study of the “raisin remedy” for nocturia (frequent awakening to urinate at night) so we cannot tell you whether golden raisins would work as well as regular black raisins. We first heard about this approach in the spring of 2014.

The original Raisin story About Nocturia:

A visitor to this website wrote to say that he normally had to get up several times at night to pee. Then he noticed:

“that when I eat raisins just before I go to bed, I don’t need to get up as often, if at all. Is there anything in raisins that might cause a decrease in urine production?”

We answered that we could find no scientific support for his approach to treat nocturia, but we invited other visitors to share their experience with this remedy. Here are some of the responses we have received:

Marty in Florida shared this story:

“I experience nocturia every 1.5 to 2 hours every night; also in the daytime. I read about raisins about three weeks ago. It works! Day or night I need to void about every three and a half to four hours! I think it relaxes a ‘touchy’ bladder.”

Armond in NC says that raisins do work for nocturia:

“Raisins work. I take two tsp or 30 raisins before bed. I wake up the same time every night twice only to urinate. It used to be 5-6 times a night depending on what I had for dinner. I eat mostly vegetables and because they have so much water, I had to go more often. Raisins changed that. It does work.”

Roy in New Zealand says:

“Yes it does work, well it does for me. I am 84. For many years I had to get up every hour to two hours . Now I take two spoons of raisins I don’t count them with two Paracetamols (acetaminophen). I now can get at least 6 hours sleep . If I wish I do the same again and go on to another four hours. I told my Doctor not to laugh he said I do not laugh at anything that works.”

Bell in Ireland:

“Well I tried raisins before going to bed and I am thrilled with the outcome. I was getting up 5 times a night. The first night I tried raisins I got up 2 times and the second (last) night I only got up once. Thank you who ever thought of RAISINS.”

Daniel has concerns about your teeth:

“Raisins are apt to get stuck between teeth and cause decay. Treating this decay necessitates the removal of a considerable part of the affected tooth. So, if this practice is followed, meticulous cleaning using floss, a Waterpik, and/or inter-dental brushes (proxabrush) is recommended after eating the raisins.”

Janet offers:

“Does cooking (slow simmer) reduce the effect of the raisins? They certainly do stick in your teeth, although it’s a good practice to brush before sleep anyway. How about simmered and then added to yogurt? I have a banana and yogurt before bed.”

In truth, raisins against nocturia might be a pure placebo effect, though we’re not sure how that would prevent people from waking up to pee. Nevertheless, it seems like a reasonable remedy given two caveats: 1) raisins have calories and a daily handful could put on weight and 2) anyone who tries this should brush teeth before going to bed to prevent the problem Daniel presents above.

Share your own strategy for dealing with nocturia below in the comment section. If you have tried raisins, please let us know whether they work.