Can Cow Urine (Gaumutra) really cure cancer?

When it comes to chronic and fatal illnesses, alternate cures become imperative when one is not responding to regular therapies. Everyone keeps looking for a way out and many unvalidated pieces of research that are discussed in media, become the Holy Grail for people. One such alternate cure that has been making the rounds for a couple of years is about how ‘Cow Urine’ or ‘Gaumutra’ can help cure cancer. Recently, BJP’s Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur claimed that she cured her breast cancer with gaumutra. Although her doctor revealed recently that she was operated upon thrice for her ailment but her claims indeed have brought into light the age old theory of the medical benefits of gaumutra and whether it’s true or not.

Cow urine apparently has a long history of therapeutic use in India and this tradition has been practised for more than 5000 years as per Ayurveda. Over the years, several Hindu believers have proposed that drinking virgin cow urine has divine benefits and having it early morning empty stomach can actually cure a lot of ailments. In 2014, there were some people who attested that ‘gaumutra’ had cured people who suffered from diabetes, tumours, tuberculosis, stomach problems, and even cancer. These claims were backed by spiritual leaders, which resulted in more people crediting this information to be the word of god. According to Dr. Aseem, Oncologist, Bhagwan Mahavir Cancer Hospital, "It's a misconception among people that cow urine can cure cancer and this must be stopped. In spite of the miraculous properties, there has been no such medical proof that cow urine can cure any kind of cancer." Talking about the recent case, where Sadhvi Pragya cited that cow urine had cured her breast cancer, Dr Aseem says, "This is only possible in the early stages of breast cancer and that too with modern medical technologies. After the early stage, it is not possible to cure cancer."

It’s noted that although cow urine is rich in minerals like sodium, potassium, creatinine, phosphorus, and epithelial cells, none of these has any anti-cancer effects. This mineral-rich product is great for enriching the soil but should not, at any cost, be marketed as an alternative cure for cancer.

So, the question is, can gaumutra really cure cancer? The short answer: No, it cannot. This alternative cure is a fad and there is no scientific backing to claim this propaganda. With so many people claiming that the urine from a virgin cow has many health benefits and should become a staple in people’s diet, lead researchers to actually test this theory.

The hype became so widespread that a memoir of a cancer survivor made its debut claiming how cow urine, among other things, saved his life. The absurdity of this claim by the spiritual leaders was seen through their actions. Many leaders who vouched by this ‘holy treatment’ have contradicted their own words by going for medical help when it came to their ailments and therapy. Since there is no proof of this preposterous assertion, but the word of mouth has a strong hold over millions of people, it’s been trapping numerous individuals who lose their lives over this ‘magical cure’.

Because of several claims that cow urine has miraculous properties in it, a team of biotechnology scientists at Junagadh Agriculture University succeeded in their first attempt to kill cancer cells procured in a bottle using cow urine in 2018. Following this research, started uproar of furious netizens who questioned the research. Although this research was never backed up by any scientific proof, people still swore by it through the word of mouth.

In conclusion, the concept that cow urine can cure cancer has no scientific backing yet and the patients like Sadhvi Pragya should follow the advise of doctors, till some breakthrough research proves its worth.