There’s always a new frontier in wellness, some unexplored edge where research and tradition collide. Every now and then that edge is urine therapy. 

Urine therapy, also known as urotherapy, has been around for centuries. Ancient Egyptians, Chinese medicine practitioners, and even yogis in India have sworn by its benefits. Today, a growing number of biohackers, alternative health enthusiasts, and Instagram influencers are reviving the practice. The logic? Advocates believe urine is not waste but a filtrate of the blood, rich in nutrients, hormones, and antibodies. Skeptics argue it’s just your body’s way of expelling what it doesn’t need. So, is this a miracle cure or just a case of extreme biohacking gone too far?urine therapy, also known as urotherapy, has been around for centuries. Ancient Egyptians, Chinese medicine practitioners, and even yogis in India have sworn by its benefits. Today, a growing number of biohackers, alternative health enthusiasts, and Instagram influencers are reviving the practice. The logic? Advocates believe urine is not waste but a filtrate of the blood, rich in nutrients, hormones, and antibodies. Skeptics argue it’s just your body’s way of expelling what it doesn’t need. So, is this a miracle cure or just a case of extreme biohacking gone too far?

The History 

Urine therapy isn’t new, it’s just making a comeback. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, a practice called Shivambu (meaning “self-water”) involves drinking morning urine to cleanse the body and spirit. Ancient texts from India and China reference its use for detoxification and healing. The Damar Tantra, a Sanskrit text, praises urine as the “nectar of life.” In medieval Europe, urine was used to diagnose illnesses and even applied to wounds. Ancient Romans supposedly used urine as a teeth whitener, while 20th-century naturopath John W. Armstrong famously championed it as a cure-all in his 1944 book The Water of Life.

The Roman poet Catullus reportedly believed urine helped whiten teeth, likely due to its ammonia content. Until the 19th century, doctors would even taste urine as a rudimentary test for diabetes, checking for excessive sweetness before urine test strips existed. More recently, urine therapy has been touted as a natural remedy for everything from allergies to cancer. Former Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai drank his own urine daily and claimed it contributed to his longevity. In survival situations, Bear Grylls has famously consumed urine on his TV shows. 

While its scientific legitimacy remains unproven, its historical persistence speaks to its cultural significance.

What’s Actually in Urine?

For all the health claims, it helps to remember what urine actually is. Urine might not be a toxic waste product, but it’s expelled from the body to get rid of waste—it’s mostly water (around 95%), with the rest being urea, creatinine, electrolytes, and trace vitamins. Some argue that because urine contains expelled nutrients, drinking it could allow the body to reabsorb them. Others claim it has antibacterial properties that can boost immunity.

Where things get murky though, is that research doesn’t back most of the claims. While urine is sterile when it leaves the body, reintroducing it can expose you to bacteria and other unwanted substances that your kidneys worked hard to eliminate—the kidneys filter waste and excess substances from the bloodstream, and drinking urine just puts them back in your system, forcing your body to process them all over again.

The Science (or Lack of It)

The idea that urine is an elixir likely stems from its high urea content, which does have some medical applications. Social media and similar outlets suggest that urea (a major component of urine) has skin-softening properties, which explains its presence in certain cosmetics—urea-based creams may treat skin conditions like eczema. But that doesn’t mean drinking urine is a valid treatment. Ingesting it could lead to dehydration and toxin buildup.

Additionally, some medications—including antibiotics and heart drugs—are excreted through urine. Drinking it could lead to toxic levels of these substances accumulating in the body. There are no peer-reviewed studies proving urine therapy boosts immunity, cures diseases, or provides significant health benefits beyond what a regular balanced diet and hydration can achieve. 

The Risks: Why Doctors Say No

Most medical professionals advise against drinking urine. Here’s why:

• Bacterial Contamination – While urine is sterile when produced, once it leaves the body, it can pick up bacteria from the urethra.
• Toxin Reabsorption – The body expels waste for a reason. Drinking urine can reintroduce harmful substances, including excess salts and waste products.
• Electrolyte Imbalance – Urine therapy can lead to excessive sodium and potassium intake, potentially causing kidney strain and dehydration.
• Dehydration Risk – Drinking urine is not a viable way to stay hydrated. Like seawater, it contains too many dissolved salts, which force the kidneys to use more water to process them—leading to faster dehydration, not hydration.
• No Proven Benefits – There is no scientific consensus that drinking urine has any positive health effects.

The Psychological Factor

So why do people swear by it despite the lack of evidence? The answer might lie in the psychology of alternative medicine. A lot of wellness trends often rely on anecdotal evidence rather than peer-reviewed studies, and in an era where distrust in traditional medicine is high, people are more willing than ever to experiment with alternative health practices. The placebo effect is also a factor—if someone truly believes in a treatment, they may experience real (though psychological) improvements.

Additionally, urine therapy has a rebellious, countercultural appeal. It’s an extreme wellness hack that signals devotion to natural healing and self-sufficiency, traits that resonate with certain alternative health movements. It may as well fit right into the world of cold plunges, intermittent fasting, and other wellness hacks. Particularly, some people aren’t just looking for better health; they want to push boundaries, to prove they can withstand what others can’t.

Should You Drink Your Own Urine?

The bottom line is, there is no scientific evidence to support urine therapy’s health claims. It may have a deep-rooted history in alternative medicine, modern science suggests that drinking urine is, at best, ineffective and, at worst, harmful.

If you’re thinking about giving urine therapy a go, at least know what you’re signing up for. It’s unlikely to kill you, but it’s also unlikely to be the miracle cure some claim it to be. 

If you’re thinking about giving urine therapy a go, at least know what you’re signing up for. It’s unlikely to kill you, but it’s also unlikely to be the miracle cure some claim it to be. Urine therapy may continue to attract attention but for the average person, it’s a hard pass. And, frankly, there are plenty of better ways to stay healthy that don’t involve recycling your own bodily fluids.