Does zamzam water turn into urine?

An assertion put forth by individuals of the Islamic faith is that Zamzam water is expelled from the body through perspiration without passing through the urinary bladder after consumption.

So, is the claim that Zamzam water does not turn into urine true?

The claim that Zamzam water does not turn into urine challenges the physiology of the human body—that is, the Creator’s design for human metabolism.

Zamzam water, just like normal drinking water, fundamentally consists of H2O molecules. When consumed, it is absorbed through the small intestines, enters the bloodstream, and becomes part of the body’s overall water pool. At this point, the H2O molecules that constitute Zamzam water become indistinguishable from other water molecules.

The kidneys are the main organs responsible for maintaining the body’s water and electrolyte balance. Their core biological function is to filter excess water and metabolic waste products (urea, uric acid, creatinine, etc.) and excrete them from the body through urine. The body eliminates excess ingested water and waste products through urine, regardless of the water’s source.

Water is also lost through perspiration, respiration (evaporation), and defecation, but the amount of water excreted through these routes does not replace the amount excreted by the kidneys via urine and does not completely bypass renal function. Perspiration primarily occurs for the regulation of body temperature (thermoregulation) and mainly contains water and electrolytes such as sodium and chloride.

The difference between Zamzam water and normal water is its higher concentration of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and fluoride. However, this mineral composition does not create a structural difference that would prevent the water from being excreted via urine or cause it to be excreted only through perspiration. A large portion of the excess minerals consumed is also eliminated through the kidneys.

According to the operational principles of the human body, it is biologically impossible for excess ingested water and waste products not to be eliminated through urine. The belief that Zamzam water is only expelled through perspiration is not supported by scientific evidence. In fact, a study published in 2020 reported that Zamzam water has a uricosuric effect (meaning it increases the excretion of uric acid through urine).