Is gomutra good for health? IIT Madras director's remark sparks big debate

A debate about cow urine has been reignited after the director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras endorsed the “medicinal value” of gaumutra. V Kamakoti’s remarks at a recent event invited backlash from several quarters, however, some have jumped in to defend him.

Cow urine has often evoked mixed reactions. While proponents claim it has health benefits, critics have expressed doubts, calling it pseudoscience. But is there any basis for such claims?

We explain.

IIT Madras director sparks row

IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti kicked up a storm after his video claiming that cow urine has “anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties”, along with digestive benefits, went viral. He also claimed that it can treat conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Kamakoti made the comments at the event ‘Go Samrakshana Sala’, marking the occasion of Maatu Pongal, in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai on January 15.

His remarks drew criticism with many dubbing his utterance pseudoscience.

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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan denounced the remarks, alleging that the Central government was trying to “ruin” education in the country.

Congress’ Karti Chidambaram also hit out at the IIT Madras director, accusing him of “peddling pseudoscience”.

Dr GR Ravindranath of the Doctors Association for Social Equality warned against consuming cow urine, saying it could lead to bacterial infections.

Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Ramakrishnan threatened protests if Kamakoti did not provide evidence for his claims or apologise.

Rationalist group Dravidar Kazhagam called the IIT Madras director’s comments “shameful”. Urging people not to believe such claims, its leader, Kali Poongundran, cited a study that showed cow urine had harmful bacteria and was unfit for human consumption.

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Coming to Kamakoti’s defence, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai accused critics of politicising the issue, saying the IIT Madras director has the right to express his personal views and did not ask anyone to consume cow urine.

The debate on cow urine also led to a war of words between Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, a hepatologist who goes by ‘The Liver Doc’ on X, and co-founder and CEO of Zoho, Sridhar Vembu.

Hey science illiterate boomer uncle, your so-called Indian traditional medicine, Siddha also encourages fecal transplants. How long will you keep putting your foot in your mouth and speak through your rear, misinform your followers, and make a fool of yourself?

As a man of… https://t.co/xOs6DUthPP pic.twitter.com/wlJFeXl1L9

— TheLiverDoc™ (@theliverdr) January 22, 2025

The left liberal crowd in our country likes to dump on Bharat's traditional knowledge systems, with slogans like "trust the science" substituting for critical thought.

That slogan became the ultimate dogma in the West. The Covid disaster and now the preemptive pardon for Fauci…

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) January 23, 2025

As the controversy snowballed, Kamakoti defended his remarks. “I will forward five research papers done in America to you all, where it’s scientifically proven that cow urine has beneficial elements. It’s justified scientifically,” he told mediapersons, as per India Today.

The issue once again put the spotlight on traditional Indian medicines whose benefits remain unproven in modern science.

Is cow urine beneficial?

The cow is a revered animal in Hinduism. Ayurveda has long touted the therapeutic use of cow urine. However, there is little evidence in modern science proving such claims.

Proponents of cow urine have gone on to claim it can cure various diseases, including cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis. However, doctors have warned against encouraging such claims.

“I think I’m perfectly comfortable in saying that I’m aware of no data that cow’s urine — or any other species’ urine — holds any promise … in treating or preventing cancer,” Dr Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic told ABC News in 2014.

A 2013 study in the International Brazilian Journal of Urology claimed that distilled cow urine could help prevent the development of kidney stones in rats.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some in Gujarat were visiting cow shelters to cover their bodies with cow dung and urine, hoping it would boost their immunity.

However, doctors had cautioned against such practices at the time. “There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief,” Dr JA Jayalal, the then national president at the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said at the time, as per Reuters.

“There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products - other diseases can spread from the animal to humans.”

The BJP-led Centre, which established the Ministry of Ayush in November 2014, has invested in research on cow derivatives including its urine, and their benefits.

In 2020, over 500 scientists urged the Indian government to take back a call for research proposals on the “uniqueness” of indigenous cows and the curative properties of cow urine, dung, and milk.

Some researchers, however, claim cow urine is beneficial. Dr Gurpreet Kaur Randhawa, lead researcher of the paper Chemotherapeutic Potential of Cow Urine: A Review, told News18, “Ayurveda says so. Our research was based on the articles that were already published, taking into account the aspect of ayurveda.”

Stating that cow urine is used to make ayurvedic multi-formulations, Dr Randhawa added, “It is also important to understand what kind of gomutra is being used. It should not be from the newer, hybrid varieties, but from Bos indicus, the traditional Indian calf. There is a difference between the urine generated by these two breeds.”

Dr BL Chidananda, a retired professor of Animal Sciences from the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, emphasised cow urine is unsuitable for human consumption.

“Nephrologists believe that cow urine is a waste product and should not be consumed. It has NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and UIGF (Unidentified Growth Factors) and is meant for agricultural use, not for human consumption."

“It is not advisable for gomutra to be consumed by humans. It is waste excreted by an animal. It is to be used only for its manure value. How can the waste product of an animal be beneficial for a human being, who is also technically an animal," he told News18. 

He said cow urine and cow products can be used for agricultural purposes.

“As soon as the urine is excreted, one is not going to use it. Once it is collected, it will be stored for two to three weeks, fermented or used as an additive, and then sprayed on the vegetation. By this time, it would have developed anti-fungal, anti-microbial values, then used in the growth of vegetation," Dr Chidananda added.

Experts say more research is needed before any conclusion is reached. “It’s not like people are going to stand behind a cow, get the urine and drink it directly. When we say cow urine has anti-bacterial properties, it means that it is cow urine distillate from which proteinoids and amino acids are extracted. Proteinoids are believed to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. So does that mean people should start drinking raw urine tomorrow? Absolutely not. More research is needed before we reach a conclusion either way," practising doctor and political analyst Dr Sumanth C Raman told News18.

With input from agencies