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MARQUEZ DRINKS PEE FOR VITAMINS? By Ed de la Vega, DDS PhilBoxing.com Mon, 07 Sep 2009  Reports indicate that Juan Manuel Marquez practices “urotherapy”. He drinks his own urine. Nothing wrong with that. After all it’s a free world and one can drink his own urine if he elects to do for whatever reason. In certain parts of the world, this practice is known as “Amaroli”. It is related to the practice of yoga. Reports quoted Marquez as saying “urine has plenty of vitamins and why not drink them again instead of wasting them”? Well, I wish Marquez has better reason than that for his unusual practice. From my classes in physiology many years ago, I learned that some vitamins we take in as part of our diet, either from the food itself or from the vitamin tablet supplement we might have taken are excreted through the urine because the body can only take so much. Therefore, drinking urine “so the excreted vitamins will not go to waste” really does not cut it. They will be excreted again because the body has enough already. So, where then is the beneficial effect of those vitamins? Purely psychological, perhaps? Unwittingly, Marquez’ practice of urotherapy may have some practical beneficial effects for him. Urine contains melatonin, a hormone that is produced by a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps regulate our sleep and wake cycle. Therefore, for Marquez who spent most of the day in hard physical training, the melatonin, at the end of the day, may help him get a good night’s sleep. Urine also contains other hormones like estrogen which stimulates ovulation in women and sperm production in men. But sperm production at the moment should be far from the mind of Marquez. He is in deep training for one of the biggest, if not the biggest fight of his life. Sex can wait for some other occasion. Urine also contains urea a well-known anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agent. Therefore, it may be keeping Marquez from getting sick. Perhaps a preventive health maintenance of some sort against such things as a simple sore throat. Urine also contains glutamine a by product of the liver breakdown of urea. It is known for its ability to strengthen the immune system As revolting as it may be to certain people, drinking urine may not be all that bad. Urine is a blood by-product that contains 95% water. Although it contains some waste products, it is not toxic and therefore can be consumed. When consumed, urine goes through the digestive system were it is sorted out . The good useful ingredients are recycled and toxins eliminated. It is in fact the elimination of the toxins that may be beneficial to Marquez. It is said that when the toxins reach a certain level, they stimulate the intestines resulting in bowel movement and elimination of these toxins as well as other waste products like feces. Therefore, Marquez’ urotherapy may induce bowel regularity helping him keep a healthy body. Urine also contains an enzyme called urokinase which is a vasodilator. It is like nitroglycerine in its ability to strengthen the bloodstream from the arteries to the heart muscle itself. It is no secret that a strong heart is needed to take the physical stress of boxing. Since Marquez is into “urotherapy”, I suggest that he might as well maximize it. Perhaps, he can also use his urine as a face wash. Urine has chemicals that can help smooth and moisturize the skin. Really now! Well, for the skeptical readers, I suggest that you check-out the labels of some of the facial beauty products your girl friends, wives or significant others use on a daily basis. Particularly those from Europe. They contain urea ingredients from human, cows or pigs. Finally, urine may have some valuable components that may be useful. But does that mean that “urotherapy” could be routine valuable component of boxers’ training regimen? Personally, I do not believe so because there are no authentic medical information validated and collaborated by independent research to justify it. The most supporters of the procedure can offer are “anecdotal”. But how credible are those claims when researches to authenticate them are at best difficult. After all, who would like to participate in urine drinking spree? Got urine? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.  |
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