Urophagia
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Urophagia is the consumption of urine.
Urine was consumed in several ancient cultures for various health, healing, and cosmetic purposes.[1][better source needed] People have been known to drink urine in extreme cases of water scarcity,[2] however numerous sources, including the US Army Field Manual,[citation needed] advise against it.
Urine may also be consumed as a sexual activity.
Human health warnings
[edit]The World Health Organization has found that the pathogens contained in urine rarely pose a health risk.[citation needed] However, it does caution that in areas where Schistosoma haematobium, a parasitic flatworm, is prevalent, it can be transmitted from person to person.[3][citation not found]
Humans
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2025) |
As food
[edit]Emergency survival techniques
[edit]Survival guides such as the US Army Field Manual, the SAS Survival Handbook,[4] and others[5][better source needed] generally advise against drinking urine for survival.[6] These guides state that drinking urine tends to worsen rather than relieve dehydration due to the salts in it, and that urine should not be consumed in a survival situation, even when no other fluid is available.[6]
Aron Ralston drank urine when trapped for several days with his arm under a boulder.[7] Survivalist television host Bear Grylls drank urine and encouraged others to do so on several episodes on his TV shows.[8]
Medicine
[edit]Historically, doctors would taste patients' urine to detect hyperglycemia.[citation needed]
Sexual activity
[edit]Folk medicine
[edit]In various cultures,[which?] alternative medicine can advocate the consumption of urine from various animals such as humans, camels, or cattle for medicinal or cosmetic purposes, but no evidence supports their use.[9][10]
Forced
[edit]People may be forced to drink urine as a form of torture or humiliation, as in the case of a Dalit boy in Jaunpur, India, who in 2023 was accused by local youths of sexually harassing a girl.[11][clarification needed]
Animals
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Livestock
[edit]Giraffes
[edit]Male giraffes taste the urine of females in order to detect fertility.[12]
Dogs
[edit]Some dogs sniff their urine then taste it.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Picturedesk (2018-09-20). "After Reaching 18 Stone This Woman Resorted To A Traditional Native American Lifestyle Which Includes Drinking and Washing With Her Own Urine". Media Drum World. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
- ^ "A 3rd Survivor Pulled From Collapsed Hotel". Deseret News. July 30, 1990. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
- ^ Schönning, Caroline. "Urine diversion – hygienic risks and microbial guidelines for reuse" (PDF). World Health Organization. p. 13. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ Wiseman, John "Lofty". The SAS Survival Handbook. p. 42.
Warning: Urine and sea-water. Never drink either – Never!
- ^ "Equipped to Survive – A Survival Primer". Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ a b "Water Procurement" (PDF). US Army Field Manual. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- ^ Mark, Jenkins (August 1, 2003). "Aron Ralston – Between a Rock and the Hardest Place". Outside. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ • Thistlethwaite, Felicity (February 26, 2015). "Stars vomit profusely after drinking their own urine on Bear Grylls: Mission Survive". Daily Express. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022. • Loughrey, Clarisse (December 18, 2015). "Obama refused to drink his own urine on Bear Grylls, 'It's not something I'd make a habit of'". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022. • Singh, Anita (May 31, 2014). "Bear Grylls: Kids, please don't drink your own urine". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
- ^ Why You Definitely Shouldn't Drink Your Own Pee, Gizmodo, 22 Oct 2014
- ^ Maxine Frith (21 February 2006). "Urine: The body's own health drink?". The Independent. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
- ^ "UP Horror: Dalit Boy Thrashed, Forced To Drink Urine & Eyebrows Shaved Allegedly For Sexually Harassing Girl In Jaunpur; VIDEO".
- ^ Pratt, David M.; and Anderson, Virginia H. (1985-08-01). "Giraffe social behaviour". Journal of Natural History. 19 (4): 771–781. Bibcode:1985JNatH..19..771P. doi:10.1080/00222938500770471. ISSN 0022-2933.
- ^ Fraser, Chelsie (2025-03-17). "5 Reasons Why Dogs Lick Pee & Vet Approved Ways to Stop It". Dogster. Retrieved 2025-07-03.