Is it Healthy to Drink Urine?

Though it is safe to drink urine for a short period of time, ultimately the practice can be harmful to your health.

Significance

• About 95 percent of urine is made of sterile water, but the other 5 percent contains waste products such as calcium and potassium.

Warning

• If you drink urine for more than a few days, the waste products will build up in your kidneys and can cause issues such as acute renal failure.

Expert Insight

• According to the Army Field Manual, urine is listed as something not to drink when trying to survive, along with blood and ocean water.

Misconceptions

• Some holistic doctors claim that the drinking of your own urine, or urotherapy, can be curative. Other doctors such as nephrologists and urologists say it is harmful. According to the American Cancer Society, urotherapy does not help to control cancer.

Fun Fact

• According to The Wall Street Journal, a man survived for six days in China by drinking his own urine after being trapped by an earthquake.