Urine
Urine is liquid produced by an
animal's or
human's
kidney, collected in the
bladder and excreted through the
urethra. Urine is used to extract excess minerals or vitamins as well as
corpuscles from the body. A range of other substances, including alcohol and artificial sweeteners, are also extracted through the bladder. Urine can also play a role in sexual behaviour.
Healthy urine is a clear aqueous solution, varying in colour from dark yellow to colourless, depending on the dilution. The main constituent besides water is
urea;
urochrome is the pigment that gives urine its color. Urea is one of the three nitrogenous waste products. The other two are
creatinine and
uric acid. Urine also contains various inorganic ions, including
sodium and
chloride. Lighter urine indicates higher
water consumption.
As well as removing waste from the body, urine can be examined to determine many medical conditions concerning the
bladder,
kidneys, and even metabolic functions of the body.
The presence of sugar in the urine indicates the possibility of
diabetes mellitus. Albumin in the urine suggests renal disease or damage.
Urine may be examined under a
microscope to examine
white blood cells and
red blood cells to denote abnormal blood in the urine (known as
hematuria), or
bacteria denoting an infection (usually in conjunction with
white blood cells).
Pollen can also be detected.
Urinary casts can also be observed, and depending on their classification, they can indicate
kidney degeneration or failure.
Red blood cell casts will prove whether blood in the urine originates from the
kidney.
The most common pregnancy tests are simple urine analysis devices.
Fresh urine is sterile and may be used as an
antiseptic - for the sterilization, the urine has to flow directly from the urethra onto the wound. It is important to know that once the urine has left the body, it becomes an ideal breeding ground for a wide range of bacteria, which multiply in it at an astonishing speed. Urine which is older than a minute is not suitable anymore for consumption, and should not even be used externally.
Urine is absorbed into the body quicker than water or juices through the stomach, which makes it a natural choice for recovering desiccated patients in the absence of more technologically advanced methods.
The alternative medicine of
homeopathy has rediscovered a range of other uses for urine, ranging from the direct treatment of skin to the consumption of urine.
Some animals, such as
cats and , spray urine on objects to
mark their territory or property.
Taking advantage of the scents of those animals' urine, some companies sell animal urine, usually
coyote or
fox to cities and other organizations to prevent their trees from being stolen for use as Christmas trees.
Many
drug tests are done on urine.
