Hopefully this never happens to you,
Hopefully this never happens to you,

but, let's say you found yourself
but, let's say you found yourself

in an extreme situation.
in an extreme situation.

You're out of food and water,
You're out of food and water,

and the only liquid nearby is, well
and the only liquid nearby is, well

(zipper zips)
(zipper zips)

your own.
your own.

(liquid splashing)
(liquid splashing)

You've heard of astronauts drinking urine in space,
You've heard of astronauts drinking urine in space,

but they have high tech filtration systems,
but they have high tech filtration systems,

and you don't.
and you don't.

Your best option is to drink it straight
Your best option is to drink it straight

like Aron Ralston did when he was trapped
like Aron Ralston did when he was trapped

in a canyon for 127 hours before escape and rescue.
in a canyon for 127 hours before escape and rescue.

If Ralston did it and survived, so should you, right?
If Ralston did it and survived, so should you, right?

Depending on the environment,
Depending on the environment,

an adult can survive up to one week without water,
an adult can survive up to one week without water,

and three weeks without food.
and three weeks without food.

But that window quickly narrows
But that window quickly narrows

when you're dehydrated, sick, or both.
when you're dehydrated, sick, or both.

For that reason, the Army has a field manual
For that reason, the Army has a field manual

which has a do not drink list for such an occasion.
which has a do not drink list for such an occasion.

The list includes, fish juices,
The list includes, fish juices,

blood, alcohol, sea water, and, yes, urine.
blood, alcohol, sea water, and, yes, urine.

In fact, when you break it down,
In fact, when you break it down,

urine isn't that much different from sea water.
urine isn't that much different from sea water.

It's usually around 95% water with a mix
It's usually around 95% water with a mix

of byproducts including sodium, chloride, and urea.
of byproducts including sodium, chloride, and urea.

Sea water by comparison is 96.5% water,
Sea water by comparison is 96.5% water,

and 3.5% sodium and chloride.
and 3.5% sodium and chloride.

So drinking urine is basically like drinking sea water.
So drinking urine is basically like drinking sea water.

It's going to dehydrate you,
It's going to dehydrate you,

which is the opposite of what you want.
which is the opposite of what you want.

To make matters worse,
To make matters worse,

if you keep drinking it, the severe dehydration
if you keep drinking it, the severe dehydration

can trigger abnormally low blood pressure.
can trigger abnormally low blood pressure.

Low blood pressure means less blood flow to vital organs
Low blood pressure means less blood flow to vital organs

like your heart, lungs, and kidneys,
like your heart, lungs, and kidneys,

which can be damaged or fail as a result.
which can be damaged or fail as a result.

Not good.
Not good.

Adding to your trouble is that urea.
Adding to your trouble is that urea.

In a word, urea is waste.
In a word, urea is waste.

It's not supposed to be in your body.
It's not supposed to be in your body.

That's why your kidneys filter it
That's why your kidneys filter it

out of your blood and into your urine,
out of your blood and into your urine,

which ordinarily then leaves your system.
which ordinarily then leaves your system.

But if you drink the urine instead,
But if you drink the urine instead,

your kidneys have to work harder
your kidneys have to work harder

to filter out that extra urea,
to filter out that extra urea,

which could lead to kidney failure.
which could lead to kidney failure.

Again, not good.
Again, not good.

Suffice it to say, drinking urine
Suffice it to say, drinking urine

may be your kidneys' worst nightmare.
may be your kidneys' worst nightmare.

And to top it off, there's the bacteria.
And to top it off, there's the bacteria.

Contrary to popular belief, urine is not sterile.
Contrary to popular belief, urine is not sterile.

According to one study,
According to one study,

it contains at least 85 different bacterial species.
it contains at least 85 different bacterial species.

Some of the most common are ones like staphylococcus,
Some of the most common are ones like staphylococcus,

which is known to cause food poisoning,
which is known to cause food poisoning,

and actinomyces which is commonly found in gum infections.
and actinomyces which is commonly found in gum infections.

So unless you want sore gums, nausea,
So unless you want sore gums, nausea,

and failing organs while you search for rescue,
and failing organs while you search for rescue,

best avoid that urine cocktail all together.
best avoid that urine cocktail all together.

What's the weirdest survival tip that you know?
What's the weirdest survival tip that you know?

Let us know in the comments, and thanks for watching.
Let us know in the comments, and thanks for watching.