Alright, this is going to be an interesting post. Urine therapy (UT) , does it make sense? Is it healthy? I started to wonder this after I learned that my almost 36 week old baby has been swimming in his own piss and drinking it in large amounts, up to 450 ml a day. I mean this is quite spectacular I think! So when I randomly saw a video about UT, I was like, heeey, I have a lot of questions! So, lets try and make some sense.
The history of Urine Therapy.
Urine has been a subject of intrigue for humanity throughout history. It has been captivating attention due to its perceived medical, philosophical, therapeutic, and even alchemic properties. Interestingly, urine was never regarded as a mere waste product. Instead, various cultures considered it a distilled essence drawn from the blood, containing valuable substances beneficial for the body. Often referred to as the “gold of the blood” or the “elixir of long life,”. Urine was believed to possess therapeutic potential and cure a long list of ailments.
The practice of urine therapy can be traced back to ancient Indian culture. With the 5,000-year-old Hindu sacred text, Damar Tantra in Shivanbu Kahe Vidhi, offering one of the earliest records of its diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Different civilizations, including the Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, and Romans, held significant beliefs and practices associated with urine. From using urine as a test for pregnancy to recommendations by renowned figures like Hippocrates and Galen, its versatility and perceived healing properties captured the interest of many.
Over the centuries, urine therapy found its way into different regions and traditions. China, Mexico, Australia, and Japan incorporated it into their medical practices for various ailments. Even in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, the therapeutic value of urine was recognized, with it being used for dental treatments and as a defense against the plague.1
Urine therapy in modern times.
Fast forward to modern times, urine therapy has not been forgotten. In recent conferences, participants from around the world have shared their experiences and research on urine therapy, revealing its continued relevance and popularity. Some even suggest that millions of people worldwide practice it today, employing diverse methods such as oral ingestion, injection, inhalation, and gargling to treat a range of conditions.
A major compound, urea aka carbamide is used in high-end skin and dental products, supplements and pharmaceuticals. There are many drugs derived from urine or made wih urea. Urea is also used as a plant fertilizer.
What does urine consist of?
Human urine is composed primarily of water (95%). The rest is urea (2%), creatinine (0.1%), uric acid (0.03%), chloride, sodium, potassium, sulphate, ammonium, phosphate and other ions and molecules in lesser amounts. Protein is only found in trace amounts compared to their values in blood plasma. A recent study published by Bouatra and co-workers (2013)1 revealed that there are over 3000 compounds in urine. From those, 90 compounds are with 100% occurrence in the urine, regardless of the gender or the time of the day that the urine is collected.
Urea
Urea, also called carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula CO(NH2)2. This amide has two amino groups (–NH2) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid.
Urea serves an important role in the metabolism of nitrogen-containing compounds by animals and is the main nitrogen-containing substance in the urine of mammals. It is a colorless, odorless solid, highly soluble in water, and practically non-toxic. Dissolved in water, it is neither acidic nor alkaline. The body uses it in many processes, most notably nitrogen excretion. The liver forms it by combining two ammonia molecules (NH3) with a carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule in the urea cycle.3
Regarding metabolism, urea is primarily hydrolyzed in the gut and absorbed into the bloodstream. Studies in animals and humans show that exogenous urea is not extensively metabolized, with the majority being absorbed and excreted unchanged in urine. However, some metabolism occurs in the colon through bacterial activity.
Is Urea healthy?
In the past and for several years, oral urea has been utilized as a treatment for various conditions, including gastritis and gastric ulcers4 (even during bleeding), prophylactic treatment of sickle cell disease5, edema6, hematuria related to drepanocytosis7.
It has found significant use in the treatment of brain edema, glaucoma, and Meniere’s disease. Urea has also been suggested as a potential treatment for euvolemic8 or hypervolemic hyponatremia9, and it can be administered either orally or intravenously.
From these papers it is also well seen to consume the amount of urea person excretes in a day is not toxic.
Kidneys and urination:
The kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced composition of the blood by collecting excess elements and forming a purified watery urine. After this filtration process, many constituents of the urine are reabsorbed by the nephron and returned to the bloodstream. The remaining urine passes out of the kidneys into the bladder and is eventually excreted from the body.
Now, one might wonder why we would want to use these elements again if the body has already eliminated them. However, the kidneys do not filter out important elements because they are toxic or harmful to the body. Instead, they regulate the concentration of elements based on the body’s current needs. Researchers have found that many elements present in the blood and found in urine possess significant medicinal value. When reintroduced into the body, these elements can enhance the body’s immune defenses and stimulate healing.
As medical research has revealed, the kidneys’ crucial function is not solely excretion, but rather regulation. For example, the kidneys filter out water and sodium, which are essential and life-sustaining elements, but could be lethal if present in excessive amounts in the blood. Similarly, essential nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium are also present in urine, even though they are valuable and non-toxic to the body. The kidneys excrete the excess amounts of these nutrients, as they are not needed by the body at that particular time. This regulating process of the kidneys and the excretion of urine allow us to consume more food and fluids than our bodies require at any given moment.10
Theories about Urine Therapy:
So, there are a lot of case studies, but sadly I could find no scientific papers on urine therapy. I will write some theories I have found, why it is believed by some to be the golden water.
- A form of self-vaccination. The idea is that specific bodily substances, including those generated during illness, are eliminated from the body through urine. By reintroducing small amounts of these substances back into the body, either through ingestion or topical application on the skin, they are re-absorbed into the bloodstream. The hypothesis suggests that this process allows the immune system to respond appropriately. However, it’s important to note that this perspective lacks scientific evidence and remains a controversial topic within the medical community.
The re-absorption and utilization of nutrients:Typically, the body obtains an adequate amount of essential nutrients from the food consumed. However, proponents of urine therapy suggest that by drinking or applying urine to the skin, certain vitamins, amino acids, salts, hormones, and other beneficial substances present in urine might be re-absorbed and repurposed as nutrients for the body.
Bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal properties: While the exact reasons for urine’s germicidal and antiseptic effects are not fully understood, it is well-established that urea plays a significant role in this process. Additionally, ammonia and salt also contribute to the purifying properties. Urine demonstrates the ability not only to eliminate bacteria but also to inhibit or destroy various viruses and fungi. Scientific research has specifically highlighted the potent anti-viral effects of both urea and ammonia. The application of urine on a fresh cut or wound can prevent infections and deter flies, which is particularly beneficial in warm climates. Employing urine compresses, whether from fresh or old urine, aids in combating infections and often leads to their resolution. While urine may not completely prevent bacterial growth in the urethra (which can lead to infections), its application externally clearly showcases powerful antiseptic properties.
Re-absorption of hormones: As mentioned earlier, urine contains various hormones. According to this hypothesis, we can reintroduce these hormones back into the body through either ingestion or topical application of urine. This re-absorption process is believed to serve two purposes. Firstly, it offers a means for the body to conserve energy by reusing some of the hormones, thus avoiding the need to expend energy on manufacturing new ones. Hormones are highly potent molecules that require significant energy for their production. Hormones can cause significant changes in bodily processes, emotions, personality, and mental state.
- Diuretic impact: According to this theory, urine therapy is believed to promote a diuretic effect, leading to increased kidney activity and stimulation of greater urine production. Metabolic byproducts, including proteins like urea, nitrogen, and ammonia, are eliminated from the body through urine whenever there is an excess present. When urine is consumed, it introduces a higher concentration of these substances into the body than usual. As a response, the body attempts to flush them out by increasing water and other fluid intake, encouraging their elimination.
In conclusion:
You know, I stumbled upon this urine therapy thing, and at first, I thought, “Wait, what? Drinking my own pee? Are you kidding me?” But then, I started reading all these crazy stories of people claiming they’ve cured everything under the sun with it! I mean, who knew our own golden elixir could be a DIY remedy?
Now, I’m not saying I’m rushing to try it, but if I ever find myself in some desperate situation, I might just consider it. Imagine me standing there, weighing my options like a boss: “Alright, modern medicine with side effects that could make a movie script, or my homemade magic potion – decisions, decisions!”
Jokes aside- it’s fascinating how people swear by this stuff. While I might be a bit skeptical, I have figured out it is not toxic and it does consist of thousand of elements. When you’re desperate for relief, you might just end up trying things you’d never imagine.
References:
- Urine therapy through the centuries – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21614793/
- The Human Urine Metabolome – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0073076
- Urea Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urea
- A clinical trial of an oral urea preparation (Carbamine) in peptic ulcer therapy – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02958764
- Treatment of sickle cell trait hematuria with oral urea – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8283535/
- Urea, the forgotten diuretic – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1962515/?page=6
- Treatment of sickle cell trait hematuria with oral urea – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8283535/
- Urea for long-term treatment of syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1507492/
- Use of urea for treatment of water retention in hyponatraemic cirrhosis with ascites resistant to diuretics. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1415974/?page=1
- Physiology, Renal – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538339/
