GROSS! How Much Pee Is There Really In The Pool?

pee in the pool urine-in-swimming-pools

ListedFit is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small commission.

If you go swimming regularly, pee in the pool is probably something you try not to think about:

Pee in the Pool – Shocking Urine Levels in Pools

Have you ever been in a pool and wondered, ‘how much pee am I swimming in right now?’.

A group of academics set out to find an answer to this question, it’s something many of us have wondered, they took samples from 31 different hot tubs and swimming pools for their research.

The results were quite shocking…

 

How much pee am I swimming in?

One of the pools tested, which was smaller than an Olympic swimming pool about a third of the size of one, had a staggering 75 liters or 132 pints of urine in it. Ergh! While a smaller pool contained 30 liters. Gross.

 

The study took place in two cities in Canada but the pools have not been named. But before you breathe a sigh of relief for not living in Canada, research shows these peeing in the pool habits are very similar the world over.

One of the researchers, Lindsay Blackstock, a Ph.D. student of analytical and environmental toxicology at Alberta University said “Even though no one would admit to peeing in the pool, obviously somebody has to be doing it”

 

 

On a related note, some do actually swear by drinking urine as part of Ayurvedic urine therapy (never tried it myself) but getting a mouthful while swimming is definitely not a good idea. This is mainly because it can be harmful, can potentially cause asthma and cause eye irritation because it has mixed with the chemicals already in the water.

 

How was the Pee in the Pool found?

To test for the pee in the pool, they looked for traces of the artificial sweetener acesulfame-k which is a sweetener commonly found in fizzy drinks and many processed foods. The body doesn’t digest it, so it is present in urine.

 

From their journal entry in Environmental Science and Technology, the team said, the overnight color change of the water color from blue to green at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro highlighted the need to monitor the water quality in swimming pools.

They went on to say, “Urine contains many nitrogenous compounds such as urea, ammonia, amino acids, and creatinine”

“These compounds can react with disinfectants (e.g., chlorine) in swimming pools to form disinfection byproducts” (DBPs).

“Exposure to volatile DBPs, specifically trichloramine, in indoor swimming facilities leads to eye and respiratory irritation and can lead to occupational asthma.

“Although considered a taboo, 19 percent of adults have admitted to having urinated in a swimming pool at least once.”

Do you pee in the pool?

Comment below and let us know how you feel about this discovery.

Author

Avatar of Danny Loeb
Danny Loeb
Danny Loeb is a qualified Personal Trainer, Fitness Model and Writer. He enjoys blogging about health and fitness, messing around with Photoshop, and sharing his experiences with everyone.

Affiliates:
This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, the site may earn a small commission. We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed on this site are our own.

General Advice:
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new diet, exercise program, or making changes to your health routine.

Accuracy Advice:
While we strive to provide up-to-date and accurate information, the content in this article may not reflect the most current research or medical guidelines. We encourage readers to do further research and consult with professionals for more personalized advice.

Our Recommendations:
The products and services mentioned in any of our articles are recommended based on our independent research and personal experience. We are not sponsored by any company. We aim to suggest products and services we believe are of high quality and could be beneficial to our readers.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *