Liver Doc slams viral video of Pune woman washing eyes with her own urine: 'Depressing and terrifying'

Despite mounting backlash, Nupur Pittie has not removed the video from her Instagram page and appears to stand by her method as part of her 'medicine-free' lifestyle.

A self-proclaimed “medicine-free life coach” from Pune has triggered widespread outrage and disbelief after posting a video on social media in which she claimed to wash her eyes with her own urine every morning. The video, which quickly went viral, has sparked concerns among medical professionals, including renowned hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, known online as “The Liver Doc”.

The woman, identified as Nupur Pittie, shared the clip on Instagram earlier this week with the caption: “Urine Eye Wash — Nature’s Own Medicine.” In the video, Pittie explained that she uses “fresh, midstream morning urine” to rinse her eyes, claiming it helped relieve “dryness, irritation, and redness”. She positioned the practice within a broader belief system that promotes natural and alternative healing.

The controversial post swiftly went viral but not for the reasons Pittie may have intended. The video drew an immediate flood of criticism and disgust in the comments section, with viewers urging her to seek medical guidance.

Among the strongest responses came from Dr Cyriac Abby Philips,a multi-award-winning hepatologist known for using social media to debunk pseudoscience. Sharing the video on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “Please don’t put your urine inside your eyes. Urine is not sterile.” He went on to describe the trend as “depressing and terrifying,” warning of the health risks associated with using bodily waste in such a manner.

Philips also took to Pittie’s Instagram to leave a direct comment: “You need help woman. This is not normal. If you are trying to ride the social media ‘following and like wave’, this is not the way. Get help.”

Please don't put your urine inside your eyes. Urine is not sterile.

Boomer aunties trying to be cool on Instagram is depressing...and terrifying. Source: https://t.co/SQ5cmpSOfYpic.twitter.com/qgryL9YHfI — TheLiverDoc (@theliverdr) June 25, 2025

His concerns were echoed by several users online. Instagram user wrote, “God forbid what did I just witness.” Another user questioned the logic behind the practice: “Urine is a waste excreted by your body, which can contain bacteria, which could be acidic... and you choose to clean your eye with that?”

A user added with sarcasm: “High on urine.”

Urine, while composed of approximately 95% water, also contains urea, creatinine, ammonia, salts, hormones, metabolic waste, and potentially traces of medications and environmental toxins. Medical experts emphasise that urine is not sterile, particularly once it leaves the body, and introducing it to sensitive areas such as the mucous membranes of the eyes poses a risk of infection and disruption to the eye’s natural pH balance.

Despite mounting backlash, Pittie has not removed the video from her Instagram page and appears to stand by her method as part of her “medicine-free” lifestyle.

The episode has sparked a broader conversation about the promotion of unverified health remedies on social media, with many urging platforms to act more responsibly when it comes to potentially harmful content.