Cow urine, also famous as Gomutra became very popular after BJP MP Pragya Thakur mentioned that drinking cow urine made her body feel very pure. After that, Akshay Kumar (a Bollywood actor), also confirmed the fact that he drinks cow urine on a regular basis for Ayurvedic reasons.
After getting confirmation from such celebrities, people also started believing that Gomutra has health benefits. But are there any scientifically proven facts behind such statements? Does cow urine actually possess any proven health benefits? Or is it just a statement to keep people in the dark? Let’s see and understand.
Today, in this article we will understand whether cow urine is actually beneficial for our health and will be determining if they are backed by any scientific evidence. Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
What is Gomutra or cow urine?
Cow urine also known as Gomutra in Hindi is a metabolic liquid byproduct in cows that is considered a great medicine for the treatment of various diseases including high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and heart attack. Drinking cow urine is very popular in the interior parts of India where they consider the cow as a god and its metabolic urine as its blessing. According to Ayurveda, Cow urine is considered a divine medicine that possesses several anti-carcinogenic, antibacterial and anti-microbial properties.
Does drinking cow urine benefit your health?
According to Ayurvedic science, drinking cow urine can actually benefit your health. Infact Ayurveda mentions Gomutra as “Sanjivani” and “Amrita”, which generally means a blessing that makes you immortal. But there are hardly any scientifically proven facts that cow urine actually possesses any health benefits. Ayurvedic science is mostly based on beliefs and what has been seen to work since ancient ages. But with developing modern science we always need proper reasoning and researched facts that can actually prove this point. There is no proper research on the actual health benefits of cow urine but according to “what has worked in the past”, there are indeed certain health benefits of drinking cow urine.
What does cow urine contain?
According to NCBI, cow urine contains 95% water, 2.5% urea, certain minerals, 2.5% enzymes, certain hormones and salts. It contains copper, phosphate, nitrogen, uric acid, potassium, sodium and chloride in good quantities. These salts, minerals, hormones and enzymes help you to provide immunity against certain types of diseases. This is the sole reason why we hear that cow urine is actually beneficial for our health. Let’s see the potential health benefits of drinking cow urine.
Potential health benefits of cow urine
May prevent Anemia
According to Ayurveda, a combination of cow urine, cow milk and Triphala may prevent your body from developing Anemia. Although, this is not entirely proven but drinking cow urine can help you to increase your blood cell count. Furthermore, Ayurveda also claims that cow urine also helps in blood purification.
Antibacterial and Antifungal in nature
Cow urine possesses both antibacterial and antifungal properties which contribute to boosting your overall immunity by protecting your body from foreign bacteria and fungus. According to Ayurveda, diseases caused by the fluctuation of tri-doshas can be cured by the consumption of Gomutra.
May relieve your stress
In this fast-paced lifestyle stress and anxiety are quite common. People who consume cow urine every morning may get partial relief from stress and anxiety for a shorter period of time.
May help in weight loss
Drinking cow urine may help you with your weight loss journey. This is why our grandparents used to tell us to drink cow urine. A drink consisting of cow urine, honey along with lime juice has been proven to show good results in reducing body fat.
May treat certain diseases
According to Ayurveda, Cow urine in combination with other magical herbs helps in the treatment of 108 diseases. Here are some of them.
- Cow urine possesses good anti-microbial properties. When correctly combined with certain types of drugs it may treat diseases like cancer, leprosy and even minor cold. In 2010, a research department of Deolapar and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) obtained a US patent for a drug based on gomutra, validating its claims of being an anti-cancer drug. The mixture is said to protect DNA from oxidation damage.
- A mixture of cow urine along with ghee, curd, black pepper and turmeric can treat fever and sore throats.
- Ayurveda also claims that drinking cow urine in the morning regularly may prevent you from developing peptic ulcers, asthma and even epilepsy.
- Research in CSIR states that Gomutra also has antibiotic properties which further help in boosting your overall immunity and prevent you from getting sick very often.
Maybe a cure for AIDS
AIDS is a type of disease that is incurable but medications will definitely help you to stay well without any problems. According to Ayurveda, consuming Gomutra along with other combinations of medicines may help to treat AIDS. Although this fact is not backed by any research, various studies show the efficiency of cow urine during AIDS.
May treat diabetes
Cow urine contains antioxidants in the form of volatile fatty acids. These compounds, in conjunction with vitamins, regulate blood glucose levels. A study shows after taking cow urine for 28 days, diabetic patients had increased insulin sensitivity, lower blood glucose levels, and active antioxidant enzyme levels.
There is less damage when there are fewer free radicals. A more efficient pancreas produces and utilizes insulin more effectively. All of this results in lower blood glucose levels and cures diabetes.
Good for your skin
Ayurveda considers Cow urine as a natural skin enhancer. Cow urine has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties which help in the treatment of minor cuts, eczema, acne and pimples. Moreover, Gomutra also possesses anti-aging properties. One needs to wash their face regularly with Cow urine to achieve flawless skin. Consuming cow urine also improves your overall skin health, according to Ayurveda.
Potential downsides of consuming cow urine
Okay, so here’s the catch. Not much is known about the exact health benefits of cow urine. Everything is based on assumptions and Ayurvedic science. When it comes to health, it is always recommended to consult a doctor before including anything in your diet. Just like the health benefits, the side effects are also not clearly proven. The Potential downsides of consuming cow urine are as follows.
- Not many researches are present that back the benefits of cow urine for our health. Almost everything is based on Ayurveda.
- Beware of the pathogens present in the cow urine as you do not know the health conditions of that particular cow. So if you want to try out cow urine make sure to check the health of the cow.
- Cow urine is never recommended for children who are under 12 years of age.
- Cow urine may contain bacteria as they pass through the urinary tract of the cow which can lead to gastrointestinal problems.
- Cow urine may seem very unhygienic in nature and may seem odd to people living around you.
Conclusion
The main problem with cow urine is that there is no scientific evidence that proves the benefits of this. Various researches are continuously going on to know and understand the actual health benefits of cow urine. Although promoted by various celebrities, it is better to avoid cow urine right at this time till proper researches are conducted. Above all, drinking the urine of any animal seems very unhygienic and may not be accepted well by society. So it is better to avoid cow urine as of now.
ALSO READ
Can I eat mango during weight loss?
1 Comment
Thank you so much for the post you do. I like your post and all you share with us is up to date and quite informative.