While Rawal’s revelation drew public interest, medical experts cautioned against such practices, stressing that urine therapy lacks scientific support and consuming urine can, in fact, pose serious health risks
Published Apr 29, 2025 | 6:00 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 29, 2025 | 6:00 AM
Synopsis: Veteran Bollywood actor and former MP Paresh Rawal revealed he drank his own urine for 15 days to recover from a knee injury. Following advice from Veeru Devgan, Rawal abandoned alcohol, red meat, and tobacco during his hospital stay. He claims the unusual remedy led to a dramatic recovery, surprising even his doctors with unexpected improvements in his X-rays
Veteran Bollywood actor and former Member of Parliament Paresh Rawal recently sparked headlines with an unusual revelation: He said he drank his own urine for 15 days in an attempt to recover from a knee injury.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Rawal recalled being hospitalized at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital in Mumbai after injuring his knee. During his stay, he was visited by Veeru Devgan — the late father of actor Ajay Devgn — who, according to Rawal, suggested a surprising remedy. Devgan advised him to drink the first urine of the day, claiming, “All fighters do this” to speed up healing.
Following this advice, Rawal said he gave up alcohol, red meat, and tobacco, and diligently sipped his urine “like beer” each morning for 15 days. According to him, the results were dramatic — so much so that even his doctors were astonished. He claimed his X-rays showed unexpected signs of recovery that left medical professionals scratching their heads.
However, while Rawal’s story caught public attention, medical experts have been quick to warn against such practices. Urine therapy, or urophagia, has no scientific backing, and drinking urine can actually be harmful, doctors have reiterated.
Reacting to the news, Bengaluru-based cardiologist Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy summed up the medical advice rather bluntly. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote,
“1. Eat healthy.
2. Exercise.
3. Sleep.
4. Reduce stress.
5. Don’t smoke.
6. Don’t drink alcohol.
7. Don’t drink your own or anybody’s urine.
8. Don’t eat your own or anyone else’s poop.
“Never thought I will have to tell point 7 and 8. But I guess I have to,” Dr Krishnamurthy added, capturing the bewilderment many in the medical community felt.
1. Eat healthy
2.Exercise
3.Sleep
4.Reduce stress
5. Don’t smoke
6. Don’t drink alcohol.
7. Don’t drink your own or anybody’s urine
8. Don’t eat your own or anyone else’s 💩.
Never thought I will have to tell point 7 and 8. But I guess I have to. #medtwitter https://t.co/9b14lcgRF5— Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy (@DrDeepakKrishn1) April 28, 2025
Speaking to South First, Hyderabad-based neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar also strongly discouraged the idea, explaining that drinking urine poses several health risks with no proven benefits.
“Urine is a waste product containing water, salts, and toxins filtered by the kidneys,” Dr Kumar explained. “When you drink it, you reintroduce these waste products into your system, forcing the kidneys to work harder to filter them out again. Over time, this can lead to dehydration.”
He pointed out that once urine exits the body, it is no longer sterile. It can pick up bacteria from the urinary tract or the external environment, raising the risk of infections like urinary tract infections or gastrointestinal illnesses. Moreover, urine contains metabolic waste products like urea and creatinine, which can strain the kidneys and liver if ingested regularly. This could even lead to toxicity in some cases.
Dr Kumar further warned about the risk of electrolyte imbalance. “Urine has high levels of sodium and other electrolytes. Drinking it can disturb your body’s electrolyte balance, potentially causing hypernatremia — a dangerous condition marked by confusion, seizures, or even coma in severe cases.”
He also noted another overlooked danger: If someone is taking medications or has been exposed to environmental toxins, traces of these substances can end up in the urine. Drinking it would reintroduce these harmful substances back into the body.
When asked if there are any health benefits to urine therapy, Dr Kumar was categorical. “There’s no solid scientific evidence to support the idea,” he said. “While some traditional practices have made claims about benefits to skin, immunity, or detoxification, modern medical studies do not validate these claims. Urine may contain tiny amounts of vitamins and minerals, but these are negligible and not usable by the body. You’re far better off getting your nutrients from food or supplements.”
The broader medical consensus is clear. According to the American Cancer Society, “available scientific evidence does not support claims that urine or urea given in any form is helpful for cancer patients.” Additionally, more recent studies have confirmed that urine does contain bacteria that could be harmful if ingested.
Still, it’s important to understand that the practice Rawal referred to is not entirely new. Known as urine therapy — or urotherapy, urinotherapy, Shivambu, or uropathy — it involves using human urine for perceived medicinal or cosmetic purposes. Practices have included drinking urine, applying it to the skin, or even using it for dental health.
Historically, urine therapy has been practiced in various cultures, from ancient Rome, India, Egypt, to Greece, where it was believed to hold healing properties. In medieval hatha yoga traditions, it was referred to as Amaroli. Some alternative medicine proponents today continue to claim that urine therapy can help treat conditions ranging from acne and infections to cancer and heart problems.
However, these claims are not supported by modern scientific research. Major health organizations, including the US Army Field Manual for survival training, explicitly advise against drinking urine — even in life-or-death situations — because it can worsen dehydration and introduce harmful pathogens and toxins back into the body.
At its core, urine is approximately 95 percent water, but the remaining 5 percent consists of waste products the body is trying to expel. As Dr Kumar and others emphasized, reintroducing these substances into the body carries far more risks than potential rewards.
While anecdotes like Rawal’s may continue to surface from time to time, medical experts urge people to trust scientifically validated treatments rather than ancient practices or personal experiments — especially when it comes to health and healing.
While Rawal’s story may have grabbed attention for its sheer shock value, medical experts stress that health advice should be based on science, not hearsay — and certainly not on anecdotes involving drinking bodily waste.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
