Urinotherapy bunk?

[yahar]

Anyone have any views on urine therapy? Is it bunk? Why?

[biohazard]

It's a load of doodoo. Yes, in theory, in certain limited cases, one could have some marginal benefit from drinking one's piss (or someone else's), but in practice it's just another way to fool people. It's amazing what all they try to sell to people - even drinking their own waste metabolites. Huoh...

[mcar]

Whoah, I used to watch a docu for that one. Those who had tried says it made them well; but I don't think so. Urine is a body waste. Why do we care to put it back in our body circulation anyway?

[biohazard]

The trick is, like with many other similar nonsense treatments, that the placebo effect can be very strong. So, some people may actually feel better after the treatment, even if the treatment itself has no effect whatsoever. One can of course then argue that the treatment works if it makes people feel better. Fair enough, if you can fool yourself to feel better by drinking your urine I guess there's no harm in that.

There is just the problem that there are many diseases and conditions where not even a strong placebo effect can save you. And if easily manipulated people stick to these treatments they not only lose their money, but health as well. It is not uncommon that, say, cancer patients to try to cure their disease by drinking holy water, praying, drinking urine, using gemstone therapy or whatever nonsense people can make up. And that's when lives are at stake, not just money. Paryer or piss doesn't save you if you have a disseminated cancer...

[mcar]

biohazard:cancer patients to try to cure their disease by drinking holy water, praying, drinking urine, using gemstone therapy or whatever nonsense people can make up. And that's when lives are at stake, not just money. Paryer or piss doesn't save you if you have a disseminated cancer...

Although prayers will work in certain cases especially if the person strongly put in his faith that he will be healed. After all there's nothing to lose. In reality, it is only the prayers that become their hope more likely; when these people are financially incapable to be treated with all the means.

[biohazard]

Indeed, sometimes prayers may have a strong placebo effect, so in effect they work pretty much as well as urinotherapy. Though, prayers do save you from the trouble of drinking urine...