Drinking Urine in the Desert: Myths and Realities

Imagine yourself lost in the vast expanse of a desert, with no sign of water in sight. Your body is signaling you for water, and your urine is clear - a rare sign of overhydration. Would you drink your own pee to stave off dehydration or is it a misguided survival tactic?

Medical Perspectives

There are many opinions and medical advice that there is no net benefit to drinking urine in a survival situation. Urine is waste water containing salts and other toxins that your body has already expelled. Drinking it without any additional water would return your body to its pre-urination state, not hydrating it beneficially.

Instead of drinking urine, it is recommended that you try to conserve the water content. One effective method is to save the urine and use it to evaporate and collect the water content for drinking. Many techniques are available online to help you with this process.

Survival Books and Techniques

Many books on Auto Urine Therapy explain why this method could be a lifesaver in dire conditions. However, drinking urine for hydration is generally not advised, especially with the presence of salts and toxins that will only poison your body.

Even if you have stored urine, it’s not a viable solution for hydration. Your body requires water to produce urine in the first place. If you are sick and thirsty, you will not produce any urine to drink. Therefore, it is crucial to collect and evaporate the urine to extract the water content.

Alternative Methods

Instead of directly drinking your urine, you can use it for alternative purposes. For example, consider peeing into a hole and collecting the condensation from the vapor. This technique, taught in Cub Scouts, is an effective way to extract water from the urine. However, using a piece of plastic and a can or resorting to leaves is the best method.

Keep in mind that drinking urine is not recommended because of its high salt content. Your body would not be able to extract and use the water from the urine. Not only is this ineffective for hydration, it could even lead to death from thirst in the process. It's a dangerous survival tactic that should be avoided.

Conclusion

Surviving in the desert demands careful planning and knowledge of effective survival techniques. Drinking urine is not recommended as a means of hydration. Instead, focus on techniques that effectively extract and retain the water content of the urine. The key is to stay informed and prepared with the right survival strategies.