Night-time toilet trips linked to salt intake - study

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with an urge to go to the toilet? A new study from Japan suggests that it could be linked with the amount of salt you consume.

For the study, researchers from Nagasaki University analysed more than 300 volunteers. They found that a reduced salt intake caused people to urinate less in the middle of the night.

The problem - called nocturia - is thought to mainly affect people over the age of 60. It disrupts sleep and can have a significant impact on people's lives.

Presenting their findings at the European Society of Urology congress in London, the researchers said that a sensible diet could help to improve the symptoms of nocturia.

During the study, patients with a high salt intake were advised to cut back. Instead of needing the toilet more than twice a night their trips dropped to just one.

As a result, their quality of life also improved.

To add extra weight to the study's findings, 98 volunteers were asked to eat more salt than normal. They found they went to the toilet more often at night time.

Study author Dr Matsuo Tomohiro said that while larger studies were needed to confirm the link, the results could still offer help for older people.

"This work holds out the possibility that a simply dietary modification might significantly improve the quality of life for many people," he said.