Can You Survive by Drinking Your Own Urine?

Survival myths have circulated for centuries, and one of the most persistent is the idea that drinking urine can help you survive when water is scarce. The notion has been popularised by survival TV shows and extreme adventurers, but does it hold any truth? Can drinking your own urine actually keep you alive, or is it more harmful than beneficial? The vast majority of urine is made up of water, so technically wouldn’t it be possible, but then again petrol is made mostly from water too.

Understanding Urine Composition

Urine is a by-product of the body’s filtration system, primarily produced by the kidneys. It is composed of approximately 95% water, with the remaining 5% consisting of waste products such as urea, creatinine, salts, and various toxins. These waste products are substances that the body has actively expelled because they are no longer needed or could be harmful if they accumulate.

When the body is hydrated and functioning normally, urine is relatively diluted. However, as dehydration sets in, urine becomes more concentrated with waste products, making it darker in colour and stronger in odour. This increasing concentration is one of the key reasons why drinking urine is not a sustainable hydration strategy.

The Dehydration Problem

One of the primary issues with consuming urine in a survival situation is that it does not provide pure hydration. Unlike freshwater, urine contains high levels of sodium and other waste products that actually contribute to dehydration. The more concentrated the urine, the more taxing it becomes for the kidneys to process it again. Instead of quenching thirst, consuming urine can make dehydration worse by forcing the body to work harder to eliminate excess waste.

The kidneys function to remove excess salts and toxins from the bloodstream through urination. When a person drinks urine, they are reintroducing these waste products back into their body. This increases the load on the kidneys and can lead to a vicious cycle of dehydration, as the body expels more fluid in an attempt to remove the growing concentration of waste.

The Risk of Toxic Build-Up

Repeatedly consuming urine can lead to a toxic build-up of waste products, such as urea and creatinine. Urea is a nitrogenous compound that, in small amounts, is not harmful. However, when levels rise due to reingestion, it can cause urea poisoning (uraemia), leading to nausea, vomiting, confusion, and eventually organ failure.

Additionally, drinking urine repeatedly increases the risk of developing electrolyte imbalances. Sodium, potassium, and chloride levels in the body must remain within a delicate range for normal cellular function. Excessive sodium intake from urine consumption can lead to hypernatremia (high sodium levels), which can cause severe dehydration, confusion, seizures, and even death.

Bacterial Contamination and Infection Risk

Urine is often considered sterile when it leaves the bladder, but this is only true under ideal conditions in a healthy individual. The moment urine is exposed to external surfaces, it can become contaminated with bacteria, including E. coli and other pathogens. Drinking contaminated urine can lead to severe gastrointestinal infections, causing diarrhea and vomiting, which further exacerbate dehydration.

Moreover, in a survival situation, maintaining proper hygiene is difficult, increasing the likelihood of bacterial contamination. If a person is suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI), kidney infection, or other health conditions, their urine may already contain harmful bacteria or blood, making it even more dangerous to consume.

The Myth of Survival Experts Drinking Urine

There have been notable instances where survivalists, such as Bear Grylls, have been shown drinking urine in extreme conditions. However, these are often staged for dramatic effect, and such actions are not recommended by medical professionals. In reality, the dangers of consuming urine far outweigh any short-term benefits it may provide. Even in extreme cases, survival experts recommend alternative methods such as water purification, sourcing dew, or creating solar stills rather than resorting to drinking urine.

Better Alternatives in a Survival Situation

If water sources are limited, there are safer alternatives to consuming urine:

Collecting Dew: Early morning dew can be collected on a cloth and wrung out into a container for drinking.

Using Solar Stills: A solar still can be created by digging a hole, placing a container in the centre, covering the hole with plastic, and allowing condensation to collect and drip into the container.

Filtering and Boiling Water: If a water source is available but questionable in quality, filtering out debris and boiling the water can make it safer to drink.

Finding Vegetation for Water Sources: Many plants, such as cacti and tree leaves, contain moisture that can be extracted for drinking.

Extreme Cases: When Drinking Urine May Help

In extremely rare cases, drinking urine may provide a very brief extension of survival, but only if done early in dehydration before urine becomes too concentrated. However, even in these scenarios, it is a last-resort measure and should not be relied upon as a sustainable solution.

Historical accounts exist of shipwreck survivors and desert explorers drinking urine in desperation, but the long-term outcomes were almost always negative. The initial liquid intake may have temporarily relieved thirst, but it ultimately contributed to greater dehydration, kidney strain, and a faster decline in health.

Despite the myths and dramatic portrayals in media, drinking urine is not a viable survival strategy. While it may contain a small amount of water, the high concentrations of waste products, salts, and potential bacteria make it more harmful than beneficial. In a survival situation, it is always better to focus on alternative water sources and conservation methods rather than resorting to drinking urine. Understanding the risks can mean the difference between life and death in extreme conditions. Instead of falling for survival myths, proper preparation and knowledge are key to real survival success.