Is It Safe to Drink Your Urine?

What is in human urine and where does it come from? 

Urine is an aqueous solution that contains by-products of cellular metabolism. Waste, extra fluid, and electrolytes are removed from the blood by the kidneys, which makes urine. The urine then moves from the kidneys to the ureters and then to the bladder. Urine is mostly water (95%) as well as urea, creatinine, electrolytes, and other compounds. Human urine is slightly acidic with a normal pH value of around 6 (neutral pH is 7). However, the pH of urine can range from 4.5-8.0. 

Can you drink your urine? 

No, you should not drink your urine. Urine contains waste from your body including toxic substances. So, you can become ill if you drink your urine. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are common effects of swallowing urine.

Is urine sterile? Can urine infect an open wound?

Urine is not sterile. There are bacteria in healthy urine, although relatively low levels. If you have a urinary tract infection (UTI), higher levels of disease-causing bacteria are present. Urine from either healthy people or people with a UTI can infect an open wound.

What happens if urine gets in your eye? Can you get pink eye from urine?

If you get urine in your eye, you are at risk for an eye infection. This risk increases if you have a urinary tract infection when you get urine in your eye. Pink eye, also called conjunctivitis, is usually caused by a virus, but can sometimes be caused by bacteria. Therefore, it is possible to get pink eye from urine in the eye. If urine gets in your eye, rinse the eye with water for 15-20 minutes.

What is urine therapy for skin? 

Urine therapy, also called urotherapy or urinotherapy, involves applying urine for medicinal or cosmetic treatment. It is an alternative medicine practice in which one’s own urine is massaged into the skin or gums. There are many health claims of urine therapy, including anti-cancer effects but scientific evidence to support its therapeutic use is lacking. 

Urine uses: Do you urinate on a jellyfish sting? Does urine kill an ear infection?

Urinating on a jellyfish sting is a folk remedy. However, it may make the pain worse because the urine may activate nematocysts at the site of the sting. Urine will not treat an ear infection but can in fact make it worse.

My child drank urine. What should I do?

Although drinking urine can sound vile, it should not make your child sick. Wipe out your child’s mouth with a wet cloth and give your child something to drink. If someone swallows urine, gets urine in the eyes, or if you have a question about exposure to urine, help from experts is available through the webPOISONCONTROL online tool and by phone at 1-800-222-1222. Poison Control’s expert guidance is always free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.
Wendy Klein-Schwartz, Pharm.D., MPH
Clinical Toxicologist 

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