Can You Die From Holding in Your Pee for Too Long? This Astronomer Did
In the fall of 1601, Prague hosted a lavish royal feast. Among the guests sat Tycho Brahe, the Danish astronomer whose precise star charts had reshaped science. The night was long, the wine endless, and Tycho—known for his strict manners—refused to leave the table. It wasn’t considered polite to excuse yourself during a banquet, so he stayed seated as the pain grew worse.
By the next day, he couldn’t pass urine at all. Over the following week, his body gave out, fever set in, and the astronomer who once mapped the heavens died from a burst bladder—a grim reminder that even brilliance can’t outlast biology.
The Bladder or the Poison?
Image via Canva/Aris Leoven
For centuries, people have repeated the same story that Tycho Brahe died because his bladder burst. It sounds like an old cautionary joke, but in his case, it may have been true. However, the discovery of mercury traces during an examination of his remains in 1901 led to rumors that he had been poisoned. Some suspected his assistant, Johannes Kepler, might have been involved to steal his astronomical data.
Later scientific studies corrected this idea. In 2012, new analyses of Brahe’s bones and beard showed that mercury levels were within a normal range and not high enough to be toxic. The findings indicated that he likely was not poisoned. Researchers also found evidence suggesting that he may have used medicines containing mercury to try and treat his illness. At the time, mercury was commonly used in medical remedies. Ironically, those same concoctions may have made him sicker.
When Tycho’s remains were studied again in 2016, scientists discovered his body contained as much as 20-100 times the normal amount of gold. The discovery puzzled historians. Some believe it came from his alchemy work, where he handled gold regularly. Others think he may have followed a Renaissance trend of drinking wine laced with gold flakes, a costly ritual once thought to boost strength and longevity.
Brahe’s interest in alchemy and medicine made such exposure plausible. He spent much of his life experimenting with metals and minerals, believing they had restorative properties. He also famously wore a metal prosthetic nose, likely made of brass, after losing part of his own in a duel. So Mercury or any metal in his blood cannot be proof of poisoning.
What Really Happens When You Hold It
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Tycho’s story raises the question of whether holding in your pee can actually kill you. Technically, yes, but it’s extremely rare. A healthy adult bladder can hold about half a liter of urine and stretch to nearly triple that in extreme cases. Once it’s full, nerves send signals to the brain that it’s time to go. Ignoring that urge repeatedly can cause the bladder muscles to weaken and stretch, eventually making it hard to empty.
If someone holds it long enough, pressure can build to the point where urine backs up into the kidneys, causing damage or infection. In rare cases, a severely distended bladder can rupture, spilling urine into the abdomen and leading to a life-threatening infection called sepsis.
Most people, however, lose control long before reaching that point. Tycho’s problem was likely different: an obstruction or enlarged prostate that prevented him from releasing urine even when he tried. Four centuries later, his death remains an odd mix of legend, science, and tragic irony.