Cow Urine Benefits: Uses And Side Effects Of Drinking It

As much as it may make you wince, this liquid has found its mention in the sacred Ayurvedic texts.

Medically reviewed by Cheryl Mussatto, MS, RD, LD
Written by Swathi Handoo, MSc (Biotechnology), Professional Certificate In Food, Nutrition & Health
Edited by Ravi Teja Tadimalla, BSc, Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition and Health
Fact-checked by Himanshi Mahajan, BSc (Life Sciences), Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach  • 

Cow urine is used as old traditional medicine and its benefits are so wide-ranging that you are sure to be amazed listening to them. It’s good for flawless skin, hair care, healthy digestion, and even heart health, wellness, and a lot more.

These benefits can be attributed to the enzymes, salts, and various micronutrients present in cow urine. But how do you use it? And does it have any adverse effects?

In this article, we look into more natural remedies and benefits of cow urine therapy, its potential risks, and more. Keep reading to learn more!

protip_icon Know Your Ingredient: Cow Urine

What Is It?
Urinal discharge from a cow, a domestic farm animal.

What Are Its Benefits?
It helps manage diabetes, improve liver health, treat iron deficiency, and heal wounds.

Who Can Consume It?
It is safe for anyone to consume.

How Often?
It can be consumed daily.

Caution
Storing it for long periods can lead to microbial growth.

Why Is Cow Urine So Important?

Ayurveda refers to cow urine or gomutra as ‘Amrita’ or elixir of life. According to Panchagavya Ghrita, cow urine has medicinal properties. It is used singly or in combination with milk, curd, ghee, and cow dung to cure diseases like AIDS, cancer, edemai  XPuffiness caused by too much fluid being trapped in tissues. Reasons include extended periods of standing, or overconsumption of salt. , anemia, and diabetes.

Cow urine has been granted patents for its antibiotic, antifungal, anticancer, and bioenhancer properties. And these properties are all due to the 95% water, 2.5% urea, minerals, 24 types of salts, hormones, and 2.5% enzymes that constitute cow urine.

Since it is fortified with various salts, enzymes, and micronutrients, drinking cow urine or adding it to health drinks, teas, and concoctions gives you numerous benefits.

Let’s look at a few of them in detail.

What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Cow Urine?

1. Combats Cancer

Cow urine scavenges free radicals from your blood and combats cancer that arises due to oxidative stress.

It has potent antioxidant activity and protects lymphocytes (white blood cells) from death. This activity boosts your immunity and protects your cellular DNA from further damage – retarding the growth or spread of cancer.

Due to its anti-inflammatory property, cow urine can reduce pain, inflammation, swelling, irritation, and associated symptoms to improve the quality of life of people with cancer (1).

protip_icon Trivia
In Myanmar, people use fermented cow urine to prepare alternative medicines that treat various ailments, including cancer. They call it “The Buddha Medicine” as it is mentioned in the ancient Buddhist scriptures (11).

2. Manages Diabetes and Insulin Sensitivity

Cow urine helps manages diabetes and insulin sensitivity
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Cow urine contains volatile fatty acids that act as antioxidants. These compounds, along with vitamins, regulate the blood glucose levels.

Diabetic patients showed increased insulin sensitivity, lower blood glucose levels, and active antioxidant enzyme levels on taking cow urine for 28 days.

If there are less free radicals, there is less damage. A better functioning pancreas produces insulin efficiently that is utilized better too. All of this leads to reduced blood glucose levels and cures diabetes (2).

3. Has Hypolipidemic And Hepatoprotective Effects

Cow urine has liver protecting properties
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Having high dietary cholesterol can trigger pro-inflammatory compounds and free radicals. Accumulation of lipid peroxides and free radicals increases oxidative stress and leads to inflammation of the liver.

Biochemical analysis of cow urine showed it contained many constituents like ‎copper, kallikrein, urokinasei  XAn enzyme deployed to manage and dissolve sizable blood clots produced in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). , nitrogen, uric acid, hippuric acid, and phosphate.

When used for 30 days, these biochemical constituents in cow urine bring down the serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. This way, it prevents lipid peroxidation protects your liver from inflammation and diseases like cirrhosis and hepatitis (3).

4. Regulates Thyroid And Iodine Deficiency

Cow urine regulates thyroid and iodine deficiency
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Iodine is essential to produce thyroid hormones such as triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).

In cases of iodine deficiency, the pituitary gland secretes enhanced amounts of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This excess secretion results in the gross enlargement of the thyroid gland and causes goiter, stillbirths, abortions, unnatural weight loss or gain, and other iodine deficiencies.

Cow urine has 79 to 94 mcg/l of iodine, which is sufficient for the human body. What’s even better is the iodine from cow urine gets quickly absorbed from the GI tract (4).

So, now you know what to do!

5. Has Anti-urolithiatic And Diuretic Effects

Cow urine prevents pain and inflammation in kidneys
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Cow urine is an excellent detox drink because it helps in the detoxification of all the chemical and physical residues lingering in your blood and organs.

In a study, rats with renal calculi (kidney stones) were given cow urine. And the results were shocking!

Cow urine reduced the crystallization of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate residues (that form the kidney stones) by a whopping 40% and 35% respectively.

It inhibits the conversion of oxalates, phosphates, and urates into stone-like residues, preventing pain and inflammation in your kidneys (5).

Due to the diuretic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and nephroprotective effectsi  XThe effect of substances that safeguard the kidneys by enabling the appropriate release of renal waste via urine and excretion. , cow urine keeps most of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney troubles at bay.

6. Is A Skin Care And Wound Healing Expert

Cow urine benefits the skin
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Gomutra or cow urine is used to cure eczemai  XA condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, cracked, and rough. Certain soaps and detergents can trigger it. , acne, pimples, and aging symptoms in Ayurveda. Face and skin packs that are formulated using natural antimicrobial and antioxidant ingredients such as acacia, rock salt, jaggery, milk, coriander, Myristica, nutmeg (plant parts), neem, and hematite are made in distilled cow urine (6).

Also, since it has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, cow urine is used for vulnerary purposes or wound healing. This incredible liquid can heal open wounds, cuts, bruises, and diabetic and chronic wounds rapidly and improve skin care.

Cow urine inhibits the production of inflammatory chemicals in your body and enhances collagen content and granulation tissue formation that help in quicker wound healing without secondary infections (7).

protip_icon Trivia
In Nigeria, cow urine is used to prepare a herbal concoction that helps treat convulsions in children (12).

Cow urine is not only beneficial for your body and health but is also used in various fields like agriculture and household management because of its incredible holistic properties.

Here’s a list of other applications of cow urine:

  • In Agriculture: It is used as a natural pesticide and insecticide since it is rich in nitrogen derivatives and has antimicrobial properties (8).
  • In Soaps And Shampoos: Cow urine is an essential ingredient of Ayurvedic or herbal bath scrubs, shampoos, and cosmetics because of its blood purifying and cell proliferative properties.
  • In Sustainable Electricity: Cow urine has various salts, ions, and an alkaline pH, which make it an ideal electrolyte. By continually replenishing 5 liters of fresh cow urine, you can generate around 1W power. If this can be scaled up, cow urine can become another ideal sustainable, eco-friendly power source (9).

No wonder cow urine is referred to as Amrita! I mean, out of all things, did you ever imagine that urine (of a cow) could be so useful?

I was blown out of my mind when I read about all these benefits.

But, I had this unsettling feeling about its safety. And this is what I found out.

What Could Be The Side Effects Or Risks Of Cow Urine?

  • In rat studies, cow urine was found to be non-toxic even when the rats were given 32 times the study dose.
  • Though cow urine affects your CNS, it doesn’t cause weight gain or loss like steroidal energy boosters (2).
  • One potential risk could be contamination. Cow urine loses its sterility when it is out of the cow’s body. So, storing cow urine for more than an hour can lead to microbial growth.

There is very little information and research available on the risks associated with the consumption of cow urine.

To avoid undesirable and unknown cross-reactivity, have freshly collected cow urine than a bottled or cold-stored one.

Where Can You Get Cow Urine And How Do You Use It?

You can drink it alone in small doses, add it to health drinks, apply it topically to the affected area, or follow Ayurvedic texts for cow urine-based formulations for specific results.

Although no particular brand endorses cow urine, the best way of getting it pure and fresh is straight from the dairy farm or a cattle yard.

Infographic: 6 Remarkable Benefits Of Cow Urine

Cow urine or gomutra has been an essential component of Ayurveda for centuries. It is believed to be rich in hormones and minerals that may help regulate thyroid deficiency and lower cholesterol levels. Check out the infographic below to learn about the benefits of adding cow urine to your life.

6 remarkable benefits of cow urine (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

The benefits of cow urine benefits are highlighted in Ayurveda. Cow urine may reduce cancer risk and effectively manage diabetes and insulin sensitivity. It also has hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects and regulates thyroid and iodine deficiency. It exhibits diuretic and anti-urolithiatic effects. It also can manage eczemai  XA condition in which the skin becomes inflamed, itchy, cracked, and rough. Certain soaps and detergents can trigger it. , acne, and pimples and has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, cow urine poses a high risk of contamination. Hence, caution is advised.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can we store cow urine?

Cow urine has a shelf-life of 6 – 8 hours. Storing it beyond that may make it harmful due to its ammonia content.

What is the best time to drink cow urine?

Ayurveda recommends drinking cow urine every morning on an empty stomach to manage health conditions.

What is the difference between cow urine and buffalo urine?

Buffalo urine has higher levels of total solids and urea. Buffalo urine also lacks albumin, which cow urine contains (10).

Key Takeaways

  • Cow urine may aid in clearing free radicals from the blood and may help treat cancer.
  • Its antifungal properties may support treating acne, pimples, and other skin disorders.
  • Its potent compounds may aid in thyroid and iodine regulation.
  • Cow urine poses a high risk of contamination, hence, caution is advised.
cow urine benefits

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Gomutra Ark is an amazing product that has several uses and benefits. Watch this informative video to learn how it can help improve your health and well-being.

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

    1. Therapeutic potential of cow urine…” Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine
    2. Evaluation of antidiabetic, antioxidant effect…” Ancient Science of Life, US National Library of Medicine
    3. Lipid lowering activity of Cow urine…” Avicenna Journal Of Phytomedicine, US National Library of Medicine
    4. Effect Of Cow Urine On Thyroid…” Journal of Cell and Tissue Research, Academia
    5. Anti-urolithiatic effect of cow urine…” International Brazilian Journal of Urology, US National Library of Medicine
    6. Skin Care In Ayurveda…” International Research Journal of Pharmacy
    7. Evaluation of wound healing activity…” Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine
    8. Agriculture and Therapeutic Uses…” International Journal of Research in Science and Engineering, US National Library of Medicine
    9. Generation of Electricity using Cow urine” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Sciences, Innovative Space of Scientific Research Journals
    10. A Study of Bovine Urine in Health and Disease” ,British Veterinary Journal.
    11. An amazing cow’s urine therapy practice in Myanmar” ResearchGate.
    12.  “Effects of cow urine concoction and nicotine…” ResearchGate.
  1. Therapeutic potential of cow urine…” Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine
  2. Evaluation of antidiabetic, antioxidant effect…” Ancient Science of Life, US National Library of Medicine
  3. Lipid lowering activity of Cow urine…” Avicenna Journal Of Phytomedicine, US National Library of Medicine
  4. Effect Of Cow Urine On Thyroid…” Journal of Cell and Tissue Research, Academia
  5. Anti-urolithiatic effect of cow urine…” International Brazilian Journal of Urology, US National Library of Medicine
  6. Skin Care In Ayurveda…” International Research Journal of Pharmacy
  7. Evaluation of wound healing activity…” Journal of Intercultural Ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine
  8. Agriculture and Therapeutic Uses…” International Journal of Research in Science and Engineering, US National Library of Medicine
  9. Generation of Electricity using Cow urine” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Sciences, Innovative Space of Scientific Research Journals
  10. A Study of Bovine Urine in Health and Disease” ,British Veterinary Journal.
  11. An amazing cow’s urine therapy practice in Myanmar” ResearchGate.
  12.  “Effects of cow urine concoction and nicotine…” ResearchGate.
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