# when is it ok to drink seawater or urine **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 7, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898 "2007-07-07T21:09:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/1 "2007-07-07T21:09:35Z")
Watched “[Man vs. Wild](http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/manvswild/manvswild.html)” on Discovery last night. He was out in the Australian Outback and essentially out of water; so to help prevent dehydration he drank his own urine. I don’t trust his survival techniques implicitly because I’ve seen him make mistakes and “cheat” a couple of times. Now, I was under the impression that drinking urine or seawater, would actually make you more dehydrated because salts require more water to flush from your system. Yet I could see that if you need fluids now, and you aren’t going to be drinking this exclusively, and you have promise of fresh water in the near future; it might be better to drink your urine or seawater. My question is: Under what circumstances would it be advantageous and life saving to drink this stuff? (i.e. do it if you know you will die in a couple hours without it; or if you know you can get fresh water in half a day) ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/2 "2007-07-07T21:20:52Z")
From reading previous threads here, I gather that it’s never appropriate to drink seawater, and in all cases you would be better off not drinking anything at all than drinking seawater. Just what I’ve gathered from previous topics here ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/3 "2007-07-07T21:42:47Z")
My understanding from reading a number of survivor accounts is that drinking either seawater or urine is self-defeating, as a means of prevent dehydration: Both are usually of such a high osmotic content that to properly dispose of them your system will pull water from your body to allow them to be discharged, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/4 "2007-07-07T21:54:46Z")
When you are out of food and have already gone four days without water? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/5 "2007-07-07T22:06:27Z")
That was my understanding, though this article from Wikipedia seems to contradict me on [urophagia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_urine). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/6 "2007-07-07T23:37:32Z")
Drinking urine (especially your’n) is a whole lot safer than drinking seawater, but I don’t know how much would be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Hildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Johnny\_Hildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Hildo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/7 "2007-07-07T23:58:38Z")
Wasn’t there some guy about fifty years ago who wanted to prove his theory that drinking seawater if you were already well-hydrated to begin would indeed sustain you over several days? While it wasn’t especially good for you, he believed the main reason drinking sea water was usually so disastrous was because people who were only severely dehydrated usually ended up drinking it. If I recall correctly, he drank it for 4 or 5 days. By the end, his health had understandably deteriorated, but he didn’t die. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/8 "2007-07-08T00:05:03Z")
In extremis, one could recycle wastes by building a solar type still with a sheet of clear plastic. Not very tasty but better than piss. Any latent water in the soil will condense too, and putting cut vegetation along with helps even more. Supposedly (I have not tried it) 2 or 3 such stills will often produce enough water to last almost indefinitely. But you gotta have sheets of preferably clear plastic along. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/9 "2007-07-08T01:03:53Z")
**Common Tater** , that also means that you’re willing to stay in place to continue getting the benefit from your still. Unless I were sure of rescue coming in a reasonable time, I’m not sure I’d want to trade that supply of water in exchange for my mobility. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/10 "2007-07-08T03:22:43Z")
If Alton Brown of Good Eats fame can be believed, you can stretch your supply of drinking water by adding saltwater to it. From [here:](http://goodeatsfanpage.com/Season7/Salt/salt.htm) > [@](#): > > If, however, you found yourself adrift on this fluid desert you could stretch your fresh water supply by mixing approximately three parts of fresh water with one part of seawater. I say “approximately” because salinity does vary from sea to briny sea. Anyway, if you got your percentages right not only would you be stretching your fresh water supply, but you’d be making better use of it. > > By consuming some salt, you see, the body would be forced to hold in some of the water to keep it instead of just sweating it out in the tropical heat. That’s why back before sports drinks, athletes used to take salt tablets. Of course, in effect, we’d be making our own sports drink here and we’d be adding electrolytes which your central nervous system would certainly appreciate when the time came to wave down that ship on the horizon or fend off that hungry band of headhunters. Assuming that the above is correct, I guess if you knew the salinity of your pee (and doesn’t everybody?) you could do the same with urine. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/11 "2007-07-17T11:16:28Z")
I think it’s “piss goes with seafood, seawater with beef”, but most food experts today suggest you can serve whatever you want. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/12 "2007-07-17T12:31:32Z")
Cecil on [drinking urine](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_220.html) Dex on [drinking seawater](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/msaltwater.html) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/13 "2007-07-17T12:47:03Z")
In the latest (or a recent) issue of National Geographic’s Adventure magazine there is a quiz you can take testing your knowledge about surviving under certain circumstances. One of the questions regarding desert suvival was “How many days without water should you go before drinking your own urine?” The answer was “one.” I guess when faced with the prospect of dehydration and drinking water is scarce, such as it is in a desert or in the sea, one shouldn’t, um, piss around. Bottoms up lads. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/14 "2007-07-17T15:28:27Z")
[QUOTE=Common Tater] Not very tasty but better than piss. [/QUOTE] “What is, how would you describe a Cosmopolitan, Alex?”. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/15 "2007-07-17T20:09:36Z")
[QUOTE=Common Tater] Not very tasty but better than piss [/QUOTE] But if you were diabetic and had just come off a cotton candy bender… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/16 "2007-07-18T01:07:05Z")
[QUOTE=Common Tater] In extremis, one could recycle wastes by building a solar type still with a sheet of clear plastic. Not very tasty but better than piss. Any latent water in the soil will condense too, and putting cut vegetation along with helps even more. Supposedly (I have not tried it) 2 or 3 such stills will often produce enough water to last almost indefinitely. But you gotta have sheets of preferably clear plastic along. [/QUOTE] If the vegetation consists of shrubs or trees, you can just tie a bag over a (living) leafy branch - the water transpired by the leaves will condense in the bag. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/17 "2007-07-18T12:44:20Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] If the vegetation consists of shrubs or trees, you can just tie a bag over a (living) leafy branch - the water transpired by the leaves will condense in the bag. [/QUOTE] The above mentioned National Geographic suvival quiz mentioned this as being the fastest method for obtaining fresh water. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/18 "2007-07-18T13:53:55Z")
Instead of drinking the urine, is it better to use the rectum to act as a filter to absorb water? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-drink-seawater-or-urine/410898/19 "2007-07-18T15:23:52Z")
[QUOTE=KRM] If Alton Brown of Good Eats fame can be believed, you can stretch your supply of drinking water by adding saltwater to it. From [here:](http://goodeatsfanpage.com/Season7/Salt/salt.htm) Assuming that the above is correct, I guess if you knew the salinity of your pee (and doesn’t everybody?) you could do the same with urine. [/QUOTE] This was my understanding as well, as I’ve posted before, based on my reading of Nathaniel Philbrick’s _In the Heart of the Sea_. He stated, that while not ideal, a solution of 3 parts fresh water and 1 part seawater could be used to stretch out one’s supply of drinking water. He also stated that drinking urine, while not hugely harmful, really wasn’t beneficial in any way either.