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Urophagia

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For the sexual attraction to urine, see Urolagnia.

Urophagia is the consumption of urine.

Health issues

In contrast to practices such as coprophagia, urophagia is generally considered harmless, as the urine of healthy individuals is sterile. However, a small risk exists if there is a disease present, or bacterial infection of the urethra. There may also be secondary effects, such as skin rashes in individuals sensitive to urine.

The main dangers are the high salt and mineral content. The high salt content usually does not pose a problem if the urine is sufficiently diluted and not consumed in mass quantities. The effect of the high salt may be mitigated by drinking some water after consuming urine. The urine may be diluted if the person whose urine will be consumed drinks some water (or diet soda, see below) an hour or so before the act. Many people into BDSM drink beer before the act because it dilutes any unpleasant chemicals in the urine, and alcohol acts as a diuretic, stimulating the body to excrete more urine than it normally would. Asparagus, on the other hand, makes urine stink in about 40%-79% of people. [1]

Since artificial sweeteners are excreted in urine, consuming artificial sweetener before urine play can lend a sweet taste to the urine. Drinking diet soda, or other beverages containing artificial sweetener, before urine play will have the dual effect of diluting the urine and sweetening it. However, if the taste of sugar is detected in an individual's urine, and it is known that artificial sweetener has not been consumed, this may be a sign of diabetes and a doctor should be consulted.

The participants should use caution or avoid drinking urine if one or both of them are taking vitamin or mineral supplements or medication, since many of these are excreted in urine.

Urine of persons who are ill, or regularly take medication, should generally not be consumed. In special cases (e.g. chronic illness of the partner), a medical doctor should be consulted to clarify whether the urine of the chronically ill or medicated person may be consumed without endangering one's health, or not.

Survival

It has been suggested that when a person is in desert survival or surrounded by salt water and devoid of drinking water that the person must resort to drinking his own urine if it is the only liquid available. This technique has been said to extend life from one to two extra days.[citation needed]

Contrary to that notion is that drinking urine may actually increase the speed of dehydration because of certain bodily toxins and salinity in the urine.[2]

Aron Ralston claims to have used the technique when trapped for several days with his arm under a boulder.[3]

Alternative medicine/Practices

Main article: Urine therapy

In countries such as India, Thailand and China, it is considered normal by some groups to drink your own urine for health and cosmetic purposes. This health branch of drinking urine is considered to be labeled as Urine therapy. Also, an old method of teeth-whitening during the Renaissance involved the consumption of urine, though it needn't be, and wasn't always necessarily, that of the user.

Morarji Desai, former Prime Minister of India (1977-1979), practiced urine drinking.

Ceremonial

Koryak people of Siberia drink urine in conjunction with their ceremonial use of the psychoactive Amanita muscaria mushroom. The active alkaloids are unchanged as they pass through the human body, allowing the urine to prolong the intoxicating effects of the mushroom.

Some Hindus use cow urine as an ingredient of a ritual libation.

References

  1. ^ Allergy Advisor.com provides the following citations (accessed 3 July 2006):
    • Mitchell SC. Asparagus and malodorous urine. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1989 May;27(5):641-2.
    • Richer C, Decker N, Belin J, Imbs JL, Montastruc JL, Giudicelli JF. Odorous urine in man after asparagus. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1989 May;27(5):640-641.
    • White RH. Occurrence of S-methyl thioesters in urines of humans after they have eaten asparagus. Science 1975 5 September;189(4205):810-11.
    • Mitchell SC. Food idiosyncrasies: beetroot and asparagus. Drug Metab Dispos 2001;29:539-43.
    • Mitchell SC, Waring RH, Land D, Thorpe WV. Odorous urine following asparagus ingestion in man. Experientia 1987 15 April;43(4):382-3.
    • http://www.webmd.com/content/article/43/1671_51089
  2. ^ *http://www.equipped.com/primer.htm#NoSubstitute
  3. ^ http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200409/aron_ralston_9.html
  • "Rakshank" written by Dr Rakshak Mal Lodha. Email:- rakshakmal@yahoo.com

See also

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