Urine

[swagman]

I know to many this may be a silly question but in a survival situation can you
drink your own urine.?

If not why not ? would it keep you alive longer than not drinking at all?
Could it speed up the prosses of dehidration buy drinking it?.


Thank you

Swagman.

 

[Shewie]

From what I've heard and read people have drunk it in a survival situation, aren't there issues with salt and kidney damage though ?

 

[Bushwhacker]

You could always distill it if you had the means to.

 

[scrogger]

I think Shewie is right it would eventually cause crystals to build up in the kidneys. And as Bushwacker said if you had the means to distill that might do it, or maybe even a water trap would work under some polythene etc.

Appearently sucking pebbles works for a while.

 

[TeeDee]

An episode of Black Adder Immediately jumps to mind....

 

[Mikey P]

From what I remember, urine is a fluid containing high concentrations of urea, salts and other waste bits from the bodies metabolic processes that can no longer be used. Urea is a waste product formed from ammonia (which in turn comes from a breakdown of amino acids through deamination). Here endeth the science lesson.

Urea is a waste product and there's a reason that we get rid of it. High concentrations of urea in the body are not good!

Assuming we are looking at drinking our own urine (! ), we must be dehydrated in the first place. Which means that our urine will be concentrated and very unpleasant!

Distillation is definitely the way to go!

God, I feel a bit ill now...

 

[TeeDee]

Just had thought , which i don't pretend to neccess, believe in but there seesm to be a few people who claim long-term health benefits from drinking their own urine to improve physical well being etc.

Anyone brave to admit that they tried it in a non-survival/buscrafty way!!!
The only advantage i could see is that if you drink one glass of wee you'll probably end up following it with another 5/6 of fresh water to rid the taste and so improve hydration.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

go to your kitchen, get a glass of water put a couple of t-spoons of salt in it warm it up and drink it down....now tell me how you feel...sick? do you want to be sick when you're dehydrated?...NO!

there are those that say drinking urine is heathy and drink their own urine daily, I've never understood how they could do it though. technically you'd still be taking on some water but remember urine is a waste product your body does not want or need it!

I have around 40 survival related books, without question they all say(in bold capitals):

NEVER DRINK URINE OR SEA WATER
​

there have been enough documented people stuck on life rafts and deserts and other hostile places to know that drinking urine really isn't an option.

Unfortunately, recently i saw a TV clip of Bear Grylls drinking his own pee, but he's not known for doing sensible things, he also pee'd on a cloth and wrapped it round his head to keep him cool...?

now he was SAS trained so theoretically what he does should be ok as a "survival" technique but as with alot of his examples, they require a strong stomach, and some examples have caused him to be sick (which would dehydrate you further).

so what I am saying along with all survival books is, if at all possible
(remember the phrase)"NEVER DRINK SEA WATER OR URINE", you can use both to provide liquid to heat then collect the evaporated water.

Ray mears talked about a soldier that got lost and cut open a metal oil can, left it open over night and licked the condensed water of it in the morning.

basically as far as all the books say, Urine or sea water? don't do it!

things Urine is know to be useful for:
stopping jelly fish stings hurting,
It is sterile so can be used to clean wounds, if no water is available.
to put out small fires(well i can anyway )
and for marking territory in bear country(says Mr mears)..

 

[Ditch Monkey]

I know, well have met, people who swear by drinking their own urine and do indeed swear by it's health giving properties. I don't know how healthy they were but they certainly didn't appear to be dead. I suppose the thing is that they are not JUST drinking urine but taking on water as well.

 

[Ditch Monkey]

This is what the internet says

Drinking urine - Survival
It has been suggested that when a person is in desert survival or surrounded by water and devoid of drinking water that the person must resort to drinking his own urine if it is the only liquid available. This technique has been said to extend life from one to two extra days but evidence remains sparse.

Contrary to that notion is that drinking urine may actually increase the speed of dehydration because of certain bodily toxins and salinity in the urine.

Aron Ralston claims to have used the technique when trapped for several days with his arm under a boulder

 

[Big Geordie]

I am fairly certain that "survivorman" did a correction of Mr Grylls ( yawn).
In particular he peed into a small hole in ground then used it as the basis for a solar still, extracting the water without the gunge which will make you ill.
G

 

[C_Claycomb]

There was this thread on the related subject that might be worth a read.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35469

 

[belzeebob23]

I don't fancy trying it. never mind if you where in that situation in the first place would you be in a fit state to think oh I could drink my urine.
bob

 

[303Brit]

Pvt. David Silleto of the SAS wanderd over miles of desert after a raid on Tobruk in 1942.After his water ran out,he drunk his own urine and collected dew from empty petrol tins.He lasted 7 days on this method before being found.

 

[TeeDee]

Ah , just remembered something and found this, I think when the S has really hit the fan you'll be tempted to try anything.

Read this..

http://cuckooscall.blogspot.com/2006/10/mauro-prosperi-man-who-refused-to-die.html

 

[Sniper]

The folks who drink their own urine for health reasons only drink a very small amount and there is no evidence that it does them any harm.......or any good. But to drink only urine, and in greater quantity is asking for severe health problems, even in a survival situation. If in dire need it would be better, as suggested, to distill it under a poly sheet, thereby retrieving the water and eliminating the toxins. Although it is sterile whilst in the body, when it is ejected it is not.

 

[swagman]

Thank you for the replies .
I think i now have my answers.

Swagman.

 

[Hoodoo]

This topic was also discussed here.

 

[charadeur]

Although it is sterile whilst in the body, when it is ejected it is not.

The US Army survival manual suggest that if you have a wound you can urinate on it to clean it out. So I am not clear what the process of ejecting it would make it no longer sterile?

 

[Aussiepom]

It's not the process of ejecting it that makes it impure. Urine is still sterile once ejected (hence why it can be used to clean wounds). However, it is a perfect breeding ground for the nasties and consequently does not remain sterile for very long. So, if you were ever in such a situation, only use fresh wee to clean your wound.