Scientists Confirm There Is No Danger In Peeing In The Pool
An age-old myth is now being debunked, as scientists say that peeing in the pool is actually not the least bit harmful.
U.S. Olympic swimming stars Michal Phelps and Ryan Lochte both stirred up some controversy during the London Olympics this past summer when they admitted to peeing in the pool.
“It’s kind of a normal thing to do for swimmers. When we’re in the water for two hours, we don’t really get out to pee,” Phelps told The Journal.
“Chlorine kills it so it’s not bad,” he said.
Phelps made the admission after Lochte, his teammate, told Ryan Seacrest that it was a common practice.
“Of course. I think there’s just something about getting into chlorine water that you just automatically go. [I didn't] during the races, but I sure did in warm-up,” Lochte told Seacrest on August 3.
Biochemist Stuart Jones told UK non-profit Sense About Science (SAS) his thoughts on peeing in the pool.
“Urine is essentially sterile so there isn’t actually anything to kill in the first place. Urine is largely just salts and water with moderate amounts of protein and DNA breakdown products,’ he said when asked about urinating in a pool.
“Peeing in a swimming pool, even if all swimmers do it simultaneously, has very little impact on the composition of the pool water itself,” he added.
Regardless, going number two in the pool is never okay.
Jordan Shepherd | Elite.
