Multiple recent studies and reputable news sources report that smartphone use while sitting on the toilet is associated with a significantly increased risk of hemorrhoids, primarily due to prolonged sitting time.
Mostly True
People who use their smartphones while sitting on the toilet are at a higher risk for painful, itchy hemorrhoids, according to new research.
Smartphone scrolling on the toilet linked to higher hemorrhoid risk
Source: newatlas.com
At a glance
Verified September 8, 2025Key Evidence
Harvard Gazette reports phone users are five times more likely to sit longer than five minutes per toilet visit and face a 46% increased hemorrhoid risk.
news.harvard.edunews.harvard.eduDoes this cellphone habit raise risk of hemorrhoids?
Multiple sources including CNN, ABC News, and The Washington Post confirm the link between smartphone use on the toilet and increased hemorrhoid risk due to prolonged sitting.
cnn.comcnn.comUsing the phone while you poop greatly raises hemorrhoid risk, new study says
abcnews.go.comabcnews.go.comUsing your phone on the toilet raises your risk of hemorrhoids, study suggests+1 more
The study published in PLOS One adjusted for other risk factors and found straining was not independently predictive, highlighting sitting time as the key factor.
newatlas.comnewatlas.comSmartphone scrolling on the toilet linked to higher hemorrhoid risk
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
The claim that people who use their smartphones while sitting on the toilet are at a higher risk for painful, itchy hemorrhoids is supported by a range of recent research findings published and reported in 2025. Across multiple independent news outlets and health reporting platforms, a consistent figure emerges: smartphone users on the toilet have about a 46% higher risk of developing hemorrhoids compared to those who do not use phones during bathroom visits.
Key points from the evidence include:
The increased risk is linked not directly to straining but to prolonged sitting time on the toilet, which increases pressure on the veins around the anus.
Studies controlled for other risk factors and still found smartphone use to be an independent risk factor.
The research was published in reputable journals such as PLOS One and covered by authoritative sources including Harvard Gazette, CNN, ABC News, and The Washington Post.
However, it is important to note that these findings are correlational rather than definitively causal. The studies suggest that smartphone use leads to longer toilet sitting times, which then increases hemorrhoid risk. There is no direct evidence that smartphone use itself causes hemorrhoids independent of sitting duration.
In summary, the claim is well-supported by current research but should be understood as an association mediated by prolonged sitting rather than a direct cause-effect relationship between smartphone use and hemorrhoids.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source