Can urine be useful in survival situation?

Read this website it is a good one...Scroll down to the paragraph: No Substitute for Water

I've seen both Bear and Les Stroud do some things with urine. But about the only thing I can think of is, if you've got plenty of it, you're probably doing ok....at least as far as liquids go.

Urine, as distasteful as it may be, has quite a few 'survival' uses. As a material it isn't all that bad. Assuming you don't have a kidney or bladder infection urine is sterile. It is a natural mild astringent and antibacterial or bacteriostatic agent.

It, obviously, comes out warm. It is readily and regularly available in fairly large supplies.

Medical uses:
A pretty well known use is to use it on your own blisters and other raw, debarked, skin. The uric acid and ammonia cause the tender exposed tissue to skin over and to stop stinging and burning.

A related use is to keep intestines or other vital tissues wet so they don't die. Normal saline is generally preferred but given a lack of clean water or other options and exposed intestines that will soon dry out and die urine has long been

I've seen so many opinions on this:
A) yes, drink it
B) no, never drink it
C) drink it only if it is clear

I really don't know what to think to be honest. I guess I'd go with option "C" if I'm really in desperate straights (and have a way to capture it).

In the army, they taught us that urine can be imbibed twice before it becomes toxic. Of course, that was in 1983, so that tidbit could be quite out of date.

I understand that urine is sterile as it comes out of the body, so it's not a source of disease unless it's been sitting or has become chemically toxic.

Urine, as distasteful as it may be, has quite a few 'survival' uses. As a material it isn't all that bad. Assuming you don't have a kidney or bladder infection urine is sterile. It is a natural mild astringent and antibacterial or bacteriostatic agent.

It, obviously, comes out warm. It is readily and regularly available in fairly large supplies.

Medical uses:
A pretty well known use is to use it on your own blisters and other raw, debarked, skin. The uric acid and ammonia cause the tender exposed tissue to skin over and to stop stinging and burning.

A related use is to keep intestines or other vital tissues wet so they don't die. Normal saline is generally preferred but given a lack of clean water or

Seems my post was cropped. I'll try it again. hopefully I'm not triggering the foul language detectors or violating proper decorum. I figure it is pee. Everyone does it every day. Nothing to get grossed out about.

Urine, as distasteful as it may be, has quite a few 'survival' uses. As a material it isn't all that bad. Assuming you don't have a kidney or bladder infection urine is sterile. It is a natural mild astringent and antibacterial or bacteriostatic agent.

It, obviously, comes out warm. It is readily and regularly available in fairly large supplies.

Medical uses:
A pretty well known use is to use it on your own blisters and other raw, debarked, skin. The uric acid and ammonia cause the tender exposed tissue to skin over and to stop stinging and burning.

A related use is to keep intestines or other vital tissues wet so they don't die. Normal saline is generally preferred but given a lack of clean water or other options and exposed intestines that will soon dry out and die urine has long been seen as one of the better options.

Several African tribes that lived in arid areas use urine for washing wounds and to treat fungal and other infections. Seems to work. Urinating on your feet and allowing the urine to dry on them several times a day is sometimes offered as a treatment for athletes foot. Seemed to work and it is both cheap and uses a readily available material.

Mechanics:
Urine was used in Korea to unfreeze various weapons and mechanisms in a pinch. Trick is you have to immediately use it to keep it warm and prevent it from refreezing and to dry it so it doesn't lock up tighter than ever.

Urine was sometimes used to chemically treat some types of metals.

Firefighting:
You can put out a fire with it. It does cause a significant smell.

Tanning:
Urine was sometimes stored by Amer-Indians and used to tan leather.

Gunpowder:
Urine was stored in the south during the Civil War and potassium nitrate extracted and used to make gunpowder. Urine is more productive than manure.

Edited from Wikipedia:

Urination is the primary method for excreting toxins, chemicals and drugs from the body. It is made up of a watery solution of metabolic wastes (such as urea), dissolved salts and organic materials. The fluid contains high concentrations of urea and other excess or potentially toxic substances.

Cellular metabolism results in a buildup of toxic nitrogen compounds, or nitrogenous waste. Since this waste is toxic, most animals have excretory systems (in humans this is known as the Urinary system) to rid themselves of this waste. The kidneys extract the nitrogenous wastes from the bloodstream, as well as excess water, sugars, and a variety of other chemicals.

Shipwrecked or people otherwise adrift at sea for long periods often resort to drinking their urine when no rainwater is available, seawater being unsuitable. People stranded in deserts often also drank urine to prevent life-threatening dehydration from setting in. However, this desperate measure achieves little to delay death from thirst as urine dehydrates one in the same manner saltwater does.


DON'T DRINK IT!

Sue

It can help you tell if you are becoming dehydrated. Dark is bad, clear is good.

Side note; over the years I arrested a jillion drunk drivers who wanted a urine test. EVERY one of those well hydrated drivers had crystal clear urine...

When I was a firefighter we never did this directly although the truck pumper operators were fanatical about NOT running out of water, they would rather pee in the truck water tank then ever allow it to run dry