survival question

[timdam]

i know i'm not in the right forum. but i was wondering why if someone is stranded in the ocean with no food/water, why exactly can't u drink the saltwater to survive? sorry for the dumb non-fish question, but i was never a boy scout and i am just really curious. :blown:

[LauraCline]

In the body, water follows salt. In order to excrete the excess salt, you urinate out more water than you drink, so you basically die from dehydration. Not only that, the bacteria and hyperosmolar saltwater can cause diarrhea which further contributes to body water loss.

[Makenna]

Dying of thirst in the middle of the ocean......

Ironic isnt it.

[Stickboy97]

lol, odd question.... seems more suited for the Nat Geo web site or maybe discovery channel...

[brookers]

you could drink your own urine....but that could be tricky if you dont have a cup or container. :lmao:

[IPowderBlueTang]

If you drink the saltwater, you will eventually die. agree with LauraCline statement.

Yes you can drink your own urine, but eventually you will dehydrate to a point you will have no urine. Slowly you will die from the inside out, organs shutting down and whole body start to blistering and consciousness set in and drift away to thirst heaven.

[ashtree68]

What you could do it get the saltwater heat it so it evaporates and have something over it that would catch the evaporating water that would then drain into another spot and have fresh, clean water, and then some really super salty water left in the container.