Disgusting woo.

[TZ]

There is a thread in the lounge about urine therapy. How the fuck does anybody think drinking your own bodies WASTE products is gonna be helpful?! I don't understand this one at all....:puke:

[Warpy]

1. It's sterile so if it's fresh, it won't hurt them

as long as they're well hydrated with water.

Drinking pee when you're dehydrated is a very, very bad idea. That does tend to concentrate the wastes in your blood stream.

It's just one of the less harmful stupid woo ideas. After all, I doubt anyone finds it particularly yummy (well, aside from a few head injury patients I've taken care of over the years) and the practice will be very self limiting.

[TZ]

3. Okay but why do people think this is *good* for them?

That I totally don't get.

[moggie]

4. I can sort of see how people might think this

Urine has antiseptic qualities, and if you're a black-and-white thinker, antiseptic = good = good to drink. But you know what else is antiseptic? Alcohol. You can keep your precious bodily fluids, I'll stick with a decent phenolic single-malt.

[varkam]

10. Because it's natural. Duh!

Get with the program, Sue!

[semillama]

12. Doesn't it cease to be sterile once it comes in contact with the skin around the, um, opening?

I think I read that in Savage Love a couple months ago.

[TZ]

13. It can be, if not collected properly.

Somehow I doubt most woos are familiar with the aseptic technique of gathering specimens.
We've had to handle urine in the lab and its always gloves, coat and eye protection....

[Warpy]

14. There can be some bacterial contamination

more if the person doesn't believe in bathing, less if the person practices meticulous hygiene.

However, the bacteria aren't growing--yet--and for all intents and purposes, the urine is sterile. Most bacteria that live on the skin will be destroyed by stomach acid. Enteric bacteria are simply going back home.

I can't imagine drinking it voluntarily, but we got a whole lot less upset if a head injured patient swigged the contents of his urinal than we did if he downed shampoo or mouthwash. The latter two required calls to the poison control center.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Mouthwash is that bad?

Wow. I know they say "don't swallow", but I thought it'd take a lot to do any damage.

[Orrex]

16. On the plus side, it takes the smell of urine out of your breath

:puke:

[LeftishBrit]

2. I suppose we should take the piss out of them...

Or maybe not.

[moggie]

5. Nothing wrong with having a wee laugh n/t

[salvorhardin]

6. Skepdic has a good article on urine therapy

In short, woos think urine cures everything. The origins of this particular bit of woo though are fascinating:

The origin of this unusual practice seems to be certain religious rites among Hindus, where it is called amaroli in tantric religious traditions. The tantric tradition is known for flouting conventional behavior as a means of establishing the moral superiority of its practitioners. ...

In Siberia, some found drinking urine was a way to continue the hallucinogenic and spiritual effects of special mushrooms ...

Another rather unscientific notion which seems to be accepted by urinophiles is that urine is really blood, since it is the byproduct of blood filtering by the kidneys. It is unlikely that if you need a blood transfusion that urine will work just as well.

Another misleading claim being made by urninophiles is that amniotic fluid is nothing but urine: fetal urine. If it is good for the fetus, it should be good for all of us.
http://skepdic.com/urine.html

[Deep13]

7. How much do you think advertisers would pay for a list...

...of people gullible enough to drink their own piss?

[WoodrowFan]

8. Insert Budweiser joke here...

or is Bud horse piss??

[dawgmom]

9. WWII story

Just because your post made me think of it.
A dear friend's father served in the Pacific during WWII. He encountered an Aussie there who was not impressed with American beer. His line was unforgettable:

"Mate, what I can't understand is this: how DO you get those anemic horses to squat over those tiny little bottles?"

[Orrex]

11. Happily, the overwhelming response is overwhelming disgust

Apparently there are some lines that even woo can't cross.

:puke:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

17. hot damn!!!

I love this place...better than the Lounge :rofl: