BEIJING (TIP) : The Chinese government banned urine therapy last March, but there are signs that the number of its practitioners are growing, state media said.

The concept of drinking one’s own urine as a medical treatment is being popularised through the Internet by Hong Kong registered China Urine Therapy Association (CUTA). It was declared illegal by the Chinese government in March of this year, but curiosity about the treatment seems to be growing. The government has also closed down CUTA’s website to curb the spread of its messages regarding the health benefits of urine therapy.

“Legal or illegal is acknowledged by the country but it depends on whether people trust you or not. This is a non-governmental organization,” state media quoted the head of CUTA giving only his surname as Xue, as saying. CUTA is affiliated to the China Public Welfare Association, which has also been declared as illegal by China’s ministry of civil affairs.

State run People’s Daily estimated that curiousity value about urine therapy has expanded CUTA’s membership to 4,000 despite the government ban. It is using social media including QQ group chats, blogs and Internet videos besides holding worships to expound on the efficacy of drinking urine.

There are signs that the therapy is drawing widespread interest although it has become difficult for people to become its member after the official ban.

One believer in urine therapy, Liu Zhaoxiang, claims that he lives only on one glass of mangosteen fruit juice at dusk besides drinking his own urine.

Urine therapy is not thought to have any scientific value in either traditional Chinese medicine or Western medicine, State media said. (TNN)