Abstract

Urophagia is the consumption of urine. Urine was used in several ancient cultures for various health, healing, and cosmetic purposes – practices which are still used by some today, though there is no health benefit to it. Another reason for urophagia is in attempting survival if no other potable fluid is available, although numerous credible sources (including the US Army Field Manual) advise against it. Also, some people consume urine as a sexual activity.

Reasons for urophagia | Attempting survival

Survival guides such as the "US Army Field Manual", The SAS Survival Handbook, and others generally advise "against" drinking urine for survival. These guides state that drinking urine tends to worsen, rather than relieve dehydration due to the salts in it, and that urine should not be consumed in a survival situation, even when there is no other fluid available.

While some people in dire straits have drunk urine, it's unclear if this actually helped or hindered their situation. Famously Aron Ralston used the technique when trapped for several days with his arm under a boulder. Drinking your own urine as a survival technique has become closely associated with adventurer Bear Grylls, after he did so on several episodes on his TV shows.

Reasons for urophagia | Folk medicine

In various cultures, there are alternative medicine applications of human urine for medicinal or cosmetic purposes, including drinking of one's own urine; but no evidence to support its use.

Reasons for urophagia | Sexual practice

Some persons are sexually aroused by urolagnia, which can include the drinking of their own or other people's urine.