[Hiking Season Arrives] 1 in 2 People Over 40 Suffer from Toilet Anxiety During Hiking - Survey on "Toilet Situations" During Hiking

Main Topics

1 in 2 people over 40 who hike experience anxiety about toilet situations during hiking.

Common measures for toilet situations include "going beforehand" and "restricting fluid intake."

Approximately 60% responded "don't know" regarding medication for frequent urination symptoms / Psychological anxiety revealed.

Restricting fluid intake is strictly prohibited! "Hachimijiogan" as an option for toilet situations during hiking.

Kracie Pharmaceutical's recommended traditional Chinese medicine for "frequent urination and urinary problems."

Kracie Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., which sells over-the-counter and prescription traditional Chinese medicines, conducted a survey (※1) on "concerns about toilet situations during hiking" targeting 254 men and women aged 40 and over who enjoy hiking as a hobby.

1 in 2 people over 40 who hike experience anxiety about toilet situations during hiking.

First, when asked about concerns during hiking and trekking, 53.1% of men and women aged 40 and over who enjoy hiking as a hobby responded "toilet anxiety," revealing that concerns and anxieties about toilets are the second most common concern after "sudden weather changes" (57.1%).

Regarding specific situations where anxiety is felt, "no toilets along the course and having to endure for a long time" was the most common at 73.3%, followed by "toilets being dirty or smelly and difficult to use," and "resistance to using portable toilets, etc." This indicates concerns about the toilet environment in the mountains.

Common measures for toilet situations during hiking include "going beforehand" and "restricting fluid intake."

Next, when asked about measures for toilet situations, 77.8% responded "use train stations or public toilets before hiking," and 45.2% responded "restrict fluid intake," indicating that many measures are taken to avoid needing to use the toilet in the mountains.

Approximately 60% responded "don't know" regarding medication for frequent urination symptoms / Psychological anxiety revealed.

When asked if they knew there was medication that could improve symptoms of frequent urination, 59.3% responded "don't know," revealing that it is not sufficiently recognized as a treatment option. Subsequently, when asked if they would like to purchase medication to deal with it, 57.0%, more than half, responded "no."

Reasons for not wanting to deal with medication included "it's a natural physiological phenomenon, so I want to avoid relying on medicine as much as possible," "it's a physiological phenomenon, not frequent urination," "I don't know the effects," and "I'm worried about side effects." From these results, it is clear that not only is awareness of the effects and actions of medication not widespread, but also that psychological anxiety tends to arise precisely because urination is a physiological phenomenon.

※1 ○ Survey target: 254 men and women aged 40 and over nationwide who responded "hiking/trekking" as a physical activity hobby (valid responses)

○ Survey period: April 8, 2026 - April 10, 2026

○ Survey method: Internet questionnaire / Kracie survey (survey using Cross Marketing QiQUMO)

Restricting fluid intake is strictly prohibited! "Hachimijiogan" as an option for toilet situations during hiking.

In traditional Chinese medicine, urinary problems such as frequent urination and nocturia due to aging are considered to be caused by "Jinkyo" (kidney deficiency). The functions of the urinary organs, reproductive organs, and kidneys are called "Jin" (kidney), and "Jinkyo" is a state where "Jin" function is impaired. When "Jin" function declines, various symptoms appear, such as fatigue, cold limbs, dry mouth, unstable urine volume, lower back pain, and blurred vision.

"Hachimijiogan" is an effective traditional Chinese medicine for these symptoms associated with the decline of "Jin" function. It contains 8 types of crude drugs, which improve water metabolism and promote systemic blood circulation by warming the whole body. It also works on bladder function, which has weakened elasticity due to aging, improving the ability to "store urine properly and excrete it properly."

<Could those symptoms be "Jinkyo"? "Jinkyo" Self-Checklist>

(https://www.kracie.co.jp/ph/k-therapy/jinkyo_checklist/)

The background to needing to use the toilet frequently during hiking may be influenced by the body getting cold due to low mountain temperatures. When the body gets cold, blood vessels in the extremities constrict, and blood flow to internal organs increases. As the blood volume in the kidneys also increases, urine production increases, leading to more frequent urination. Therefore, during hiking, instead of forcibly restricting fluid intake, it is important to make efforts to keep the body warm, such as adjusting clothing and taking cold weather precautions.

Column now available on the "YAMAP" app, which makes you want to walk in the mountains.

With information on over 25,000 mountains nationwide and highly accurate real-time maps, YAMAP safely supports everything from casual mountain walks to serious mountaineering. Kracie Pharmaceutical is currently collaborating with YAMAP to publish a column article in the app for "hikers who feel frequent urination." You can also view the article here.

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