Taking the piss out of Lyoto Machida

UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida drinks his own urine, says it’s good for him. Maybe it gives him super powers. And he’s not alone. Luke Cummo and boxer Juan Manuel Marquez have also been public about their propensity for pee drinking and the astronauts on the International Space Station also drink their own urine (after it’s been filtered and purified and hopefully mixed with a packet of kool-aid or a shot of tequila).  I know, eww.

But what are the benefits, if any, of drinking urine? Combat sports doctor and MMA Junkie medical columnist Dr. Johnnie Benjamin reluctantly looks into it. In short, urine is 95 percent water, 2.5 percent urea and a 2.5 percent mixture of minerals, salts, hormones, enzymes and non-toxic waste products (he doesn’t explain why it’s yellow). He says that “although the potential benefits and healing capacities of drinking urine have been encouraged for centuries by many cultures, there is no credible medical literature or studies that support these beliefs.”

That’s a relief. I’d hate to have to add piss to my diet.