# Urine therapy: not as old as people claim **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249 "2010-11-19T19:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/1 "2010-11-19T19:07:25Z")
In [this column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1043/why-are-men-supposed-to-wash-their-hands-after-urination), Cecil says > [@](#): > > Welcome to urine therapy. > > All it takes, says Blake, is eight ounces a day. > > Blake first heard about UT from a naturopath in Japan. Now, our popular science TV show Quarks had a special on urine, and reported also on [urine therapy](http://www.wdr.de/tv/quarks/sendungsbeitraege/2010/1116/003_urin.jsp)(in German). (I know that Cecil knew that and was prevented from space restrictions to fully tell everything. :)) What I found interesting is not that the claims don’t really hold up - no surprise - but that it’s much more recent than most people claim. > [@from Quarks](#): > > Auch die ayurvedische Medizin aus Indien soll angeblich das Trinken von Eigenurin propagieren. Ayurveda ist mit rund 5000 Jahren Tradition eines der ältesten Erfahrungsmedizinsysteme der Welt. Doch Ayurveda-Experten bezeichnen die Berichte über das Eigenurin-Trinken als Gerücht, so Dr. S.N. Gupta, Chefarzt des Ayurveda-Colleges in Nadiad in Nord-Indien: “Dieser Frage nach dem Trinken von Urin begegne ich in Europa oft, denn man glaubt hier, dass die Eigenurintherapie in klassischen ayurvedischen Texten beschrieben wird. Doch das stimmt nicht. Ayurveda kennt die Behandlung mit Urin – aber da geht es nicht um Eigenurin, also das Trinken des eigenen Harns. Was im Ayurveda mit Urintherapie gemeint ist, ist etwas ganz anderes, und sehr speziell.” > **The ayurvedic medicine from India also supposedly propagates drinking of own urine. Ayurveda is with 5 000 years tradition one of the oldest experience-based medicine systems of the world. But Ayurveda experts call these reports about drinking of own urine as rumor, says Dr. S.N. Gupta, Head doctor of Ayurveda-College in Nadiad in North India “This question about drinking own urine I often encounter in Europe, because there people believe that the urine therapy is described in classic Ayurveda texts. But that’s not correct. Ayurveda does know treatment with urine - but that’s not about drinking your own urine. What Ayurveda means with urine therapy is something quite different, and very specialised.”** (It refers to cow’s urine, which are sacred animals in India after all). and > [@](#): > > In Thomas’ Bestsellern gibt es Berichte über spektakuläre Heilungen – wie übrigens in allen Urin-Büchern. Sicher belegt ist davon nichts. Aber alle Autoren verweisen auf ein einziges Werk: “Urin – Das Wasser des Lebens”, geschrieben um 1940 von einem gewissen John W. Armstrong. Armstrong war ein selbst ernannter Urinheiler, der in Amerika praktizierte, aus England stammte, und sich selbst durch Urin-Trinken und Fasten angeblich von Tuberkulose heilte. > **In Thomas bestsellers are reports about spectacular healings - like in all urine books, by the way. Proven without doubt is nothing of them. But all authors refer to one single book “Urine, water of life”, written around 1940 by a certain John W. Armstrong. Armstrong was a self-announced Urine healer, who practised in America, came from England and reportedly cured himself from Tuberculosis by drinking urine and fasting**. > [@](#): > > Doch über den Autor ist kaum etwas bekannt. Auch die deutsche Übersetzerin seines Buches, selbst Apothekerin, kann nicht weiterhelfen. Kein Bild findet sich, keine biografischen Daten sind bekannt, nichts über eine Berufsausbildung. Armstrongs Buch aber ist in der Szene weltweit verbreitet – und sei “die Bibel” der Urin-Anhänger, soviel könne sie sagen, meint die Übersetzerin. > > So wirksam das Buch, so unklar sind seine Ursprünge. Wer das Urin-Trinken propagiert, sollte sich daher neue Argumente suchen. > \*\*But about the author himself, almost nothing is known. Even the german translator of his book, herself apothecary, can’t help further. No picture can be found, no biographic data are known, nothing about a professional education. But Armstrongs book is wide-spread in the scene - and is the “Bible” of the believers in urine therapy, that much she can say, is the opinion of the translator. > > As succesful as the book is, as unclear are its origins. Whoever wants to propagate urine drinking should therefore look for new arguments.\*\* Note to Moderators: Longer quotes than usual in order to translate. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/2 "2010-11-21T16:20:16Z")
A possibly even newer application of urine therapy: [homeopathic piss](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1B2aFElfjE). Note: the linked video is low in dramatic tension but does feature a nice yellow Labrador retriever. ---
**Author:** ![VasudhaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ecd19e/32.png) [@VasudhaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VasudhaMama)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/3 "2010-12-01T00:00:40Z")
I’ve cured a sore on my leg that I’d had for about a year by massaging it with my own urine for a few days. When I returned to the West (from India), I questioned my doctor as to why he hadn’t told me about it - he’d tried ointments on me. He said he knew about the urine therapy but people in the West wouldn’t accept it too readily. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/4 "2010-12-01T00:50:36Z")
Baaad doctor! Using ointments when he “knew” about urine therapy! [No need to stop at leg sores](http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/urine.htm?ref=www.espinashop.com-www.espinashop.com-www.espinashop.com-www.espinashop.com) though - urine, dontcha know, is good for “Multiple sclerosis, colitis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, hepatitis, hyperactivity, pancreatic insufficiency, psoriasis, eczema, diabetes, herpes, mononucleosis, adrenal failure, allergies and so many other ailments”. Note the cartoon Labrador retriever in that link. Could it be that urine from Labradors is especially curative?\* \*I could try this at home, but I think I’ll “pass”. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/5 "2010-12-01T23:46:27Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > \*I could try this at home, but I think I’ll “pass”. I think how it works is, first you pass, and then you try it at home. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/6 "2010-12-06T20:04:20Z")
> [@VasudhaMama](#): > > I’ve cured a sore on my leg that I’d had for about a year by massaging it with my own urine for a few days. When I returned to the West (from India), I questioned my doctor as to why he hadn’t told me about it - he’d tried ointments on me. He said he knew about the urine therapy but people in the West wouldn’t accept it too readily. Did you massage the ointment as long as the urine, too? Or did you rub the ointment on, expecting it to work wonders, while with the urine therapy, you spent 20 min. doing massage? That difference could explain the outcome. For difficult sores, western doctors are using fly larvaes (grown in clean supply labs) because they remove the dead cells better than surgical knifes and add chemical stuff from their saliva that helps healing. Likewise, leeches have made a come-back … for specific situations, coming from clean labs, and after passing trial. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/7 "2010-12-07T20:47:12Z")
Two different MDs have prescribed urea ointment for the treatment of my feet. I suppose that’s a substitute for urine. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/8 "2010-12-07T20:50:02Z")
I guess I don’t have to worry about my aim anymore. It lands on my feet, miraculous things will happen. Just have to remember to take off my shoes before taking a piss. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/9 "2010-12-07T20:51:16Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I guess I don’t have to worry about my aim anymore. It lands on my feet, miraculous things will happen. > > Just have to remember to take off my shoes before taking a piss. It used to be enough just to know the difference between shit and Shinola-this is getting far too complicated for me. ---
**Author:** ![bluezooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@bluezooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluezooky)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/10 "2010-12-08T09:23:55Z")
Amaroli is mentioned in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika which dates from the fifteenth century, it’s obviously based on much earlier practices.I believe the goal is to recycle hormones such as Testosterone back into the body, maybe a valid idea back then however your local doctors surgery might be a better option these day if you need hormone replacement therapy. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/11 "2010-12-08T16:37:12Z")
Surgery for hormone replacement therapy? 😕 Wouldn’t you just take pills? ---
**Author:** ![bluezooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@bluezooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluezooky)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/12 "2010-12-09T08:14:16Z")
Yep I agree go with the pills, surgery another way of saying doctor private practice not a hospital where they do actually do surgery. ---
**Author:** ![VasudhaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ecd19e/32.png) [@VasudhaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VasudhaMama)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urine-therapy-not-as-old-as-people-claim/561249/13 "2011-01-13T04:58:42Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > Did you massage the ointment as long as the urine, too? Or did you rub the ointment on, expecting it to work wonders, while with the urine therapy, you spent 20 min. doing massage? That difference could explain the outcome. > > For difficult sores, western doctors are using fly larvaes (grown in clean supply labs) because they remove the dead cells better than surgical knifes and add chemical stuff from their saliva that helps healing. > > Likewise, leeches have made a come-back … for specific situations, coming from clean labs, and after passing trial. Only just saw this so apologize for late response. I actually didn’t do any massaging of ointments or urine. I tried different ointments - just rubbed them on. Did the same with urine. Anyway, it worked.