11 replies to this topic

[frederickson]

aloe vera is strongly anti-inflammatory when applied topically, yet you do not hear as much about the benefits of ingesting aloe vera juice or gel.

i have noticed profound benefits in regard to digestion and reduction of acid reflux (why i began drinking the juice daily), but i was curious how aloe vera juice would compare to other anti-inflammatory products out there. i eat a strict diet high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods (fish oil, cherries, tons of veggies, turmeric, etc.), but i hear very little about how aloe vera juice could fit in. it is not included in any inflammation ratings i have encountered, yet it would seem to be an excellent addition to an anti-inflammatory regimen due to its topical effects and soothing properties when imbibed.

[shifter]

My only problem with the ones I have found is that its only 20% aloe vera and the rest is pretty much sugar water :( I dont care what things taste like. I would love it if it were more aloevera, and no sugar or sweeteners. (I could add my own xylitol if I really really had to).

[Live Forever]

My only problem with the ones I have found is that its only 20% aloe vera and the rest is pretty much sugar water :( I dont care what things taste like. I would love it if it were more aloevera, and no sugar or sweeteners. (I could add my own xylitol if I really really had to).

This one appears to only contain aloe vera concentrated (along with a minute amount of sodium, some citric acid, and sodium benzoate), but no sweetener, assuming they are listing all the ingredients there:
http://www.ghchealth..._vera_juice.php

[frederickson]

interesting... i have personally never seen a sweetened aloe vera juice on the market.

the kind that i have been drinking is "natural request" brand. this product is certified organic, unsweetened and unbelievably affordable at sam's club, only $6 for a gallon.

i can say that it certainly has positive effects on my acid reflux situation, as it calms my stomach in a matter of minutes. it was the effects that are not immediately noticeable (anti-inflammatory, immune stimulating, skin healing) effects that i was curious about.

[edward]

Be careful, raw unprocessed aloe vera juice has a high Emodin content.... Most healthfood store varieties are emodin reduced or free but if you buy aloe vera juice at a farmer's market or specialty store be careful.

[RWeb]

aloe vera is strongly anti-inflammatory when applied topically, yet you do not hear as much about the benefits of ingesting aloe vera juice or gel.

i have noticed profound benefits in regard to digestion and reduction of acid reflux (why i began drinking the juice daily), but i was curious how aloe vera juice would compare to other anti-inflammatory products out there. i eat a strict diet high in anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods (fish oil, cherries, tons of veggies, turmeric, etc.), but i hear very little about how aloe vera juice could fit in. it is not included in any inflammation ratings i have encountered, yet it would seem to be an excellent addition to an anti-inflammatory regimen due to its topical effects and soothing properties when imbibed.

AV juice to me isn't very nice, rather an aquired taste - and would rather find other forms of 'naturally healthy' supplements than to drink that stuff. AV Gel on the other hand is the bee's knees when it comes to sunburns as it helps to sooth the skin and rejuvenates it over a period of time. Though can be somewhat expensive and hard to come by (in NZ at least) - it's always something I keep in the car or at home somewhere just incase. you may only use it 2-3 times a year but it's at those times you wonder how you could even live without it.

Find below a site all about the healing properties of Aloe Vera...
http://www.cosmetics...era-highlighted

-------------------------------
Vegetable Garden + Home Garden = My Garden
WLB

[John2009]

I used to drink Georges Aloe Vera juice from a company called "Warren Laboratories" http://www.warrenlabsaloe.com/

They claim that the juice is made only from a specific aloe plant and that they use a trade secret fractional distillation process to make it. I cannot say that it really did anything for me that I noticed, and it looks and tastes just like water, no bitter taste whatsoever.

The company also makes shampoos and creams (very high percentage of aloe) which I have used. They seemed like good quality products and I liked them. However, I stopped using them after awhile because they were a little pricey. I think there is some data on the site about some internal independent studies the company did with farm animals (I think pigs were mentioned) but as far *as I know* their products have not been involved in any peer reviewed scientific studies.

For me, Aloe has always been good for minor sun burns and muscle aches. I do not know about the real benefits of drinking it, although they may exist.

John

[jennydisuza]

Aloe Vera juice is one of the best natural medicines. I had seen the magic of this medicine. When i was suffering from low WBC then doctor had prescribed me for this one. Now i am feeling OK. Really fantastic medicine.

[HirschoCorey]

Aloevera juice has many verified anti-bacterial and anti-fungal premises. It's used in drugs applied to help stop ringworm or tinea inducing infection. Typically the complete levels of active elements including C-glycosides as well as other lectins allows aloevera. It actually is a widely used anti inflammatory, free radical cleansing and overall health restoring agent. Specialized products are actually designed to treat abrasions, stings and lacerations, burn, eczema and acne breakout. The sap and also gel of this herb is taken for stopping heartburn or acid reflux, candida albicans, Chron's disease, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms of asthma, hay fever and in some cases guard our body system from toxins.



The benefits of aloevera are well-known nowadays so we can highly recommend its usage, but always talk to your health care provider first. In some instances some individuals may react in a different way to aloe-vera.

The following link may be helpful for more information : TheVitaminMag.com

[formergenius]

Well I don't know much about the chemistry of Aloe Vera, but growing up in the Caribbean I've gained the habit of drinking Aloe Vera juice. I am very happy to find it in the shelves in the Dutch supermarkets. The only things I drink nowadays are water, tea and Aloe Vera. I drink about half a liter a day. Allthough some brands disappointingly add all kinds of unnecessary additives to it, there are some brands that are genuinely natural. I find it helps the digestive system. Also used to work wonders when had hangovers back in the days. I'd say along with coconut water, one of the healthiest drinks out there.

[ta5]

Toxicol' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://pmid.us/22968693']Toxicol Sci. 2012 Sep 11. [Epub ahead of print]
Clear Evidence of Carcinogenic Activity by a Whole Leaf Extract of Aloe barbadenis Miller (Aloe vera) in F344/N Rats.
Boudreau MD, Mellick P, Olson G, Felton R, Thorn B, Beland F.
Source
Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, 3900 NCTR Road, Jefferson, AR 72079, United States.
Abstract
Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) is an herbal remedy promoted to treat a variety of illnesses; however, only limited data are available on the safety of this dietary supplement. Drinking water exposure of F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice to an Aloe vera whole leaf extract (1%, 2%, and 3%) for 13 weeks resulted in goblet cell hyperplasia of the large intestine in both species. Based upon this observation, two-year drinking water studies were conducted to assess the carcinogenic potential of an Aloe vera whole leaf extract when administered to F344/N rats (48/sex/group) at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%, and B6C3F1 mice (48/sex/group) at 1%, 2%, and 3%. Compared to controls, survival was decreased in the 1.5% dose group of female rats. Treatment-related neoplasms and non-neoplastic lesions in both species were confined primarily to the large intestine. Incidences of adenomas and/or carcinomas of the ileo-cecal and cecal-colic junction, cecum, and the ascending and transverse colon were significantly higher than controls in male and female rats in the 1% and 1.5% dose groups. There were no neoplasms of the large intestine of mice or in the 0% or 0.5% dose groups of rats. Increased incidences of mucosa hyperplasia of the large intestine were observed in F344/N rats, and increased incidences of goblet cell hyperplasia of the large intestine occurred in B6C3F1 mice. These results indicate that Aloe vera whole leaf extract is an intestinal irritant in F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice and a carcinogen of the large intestine in F344/N rats.
PMID: 22968693

→ source (external link)

[ta5]

J' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://pmid.us/full:20191055']J Korean Med Sci. 2010 Mar;25(3):492-5. Epub 2010 Feb 17.
Aloe-induced toxic hepatitis.
Yang HN, Kim DJ, Kim YM, Kim BH, Sohn KM, Choi MJ, Choi YH.
Source
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
Abstract
Aloe has been widely used in phytomedicine. Phytomedicine describes aloe as a herb which has anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, anti-aging effects. In recent years several cases of aloe-induced hepatotoxicity were reported. But its pharmacokinetics and toxicity are poorly described in the literature. Here we report three cases with aloe-induced toxic hepatitis. A 57-yr-old woman, a 62-yr-old woman and a 55-yr-old woman were admitted to the hospital for acute hepatitis. They had taken aloe preparation for months. Their clinical manifestation, laboratory findings and histologic findings met diagnostic criteria (RUCAM scale) of toxic hepatitis. Upon discontinuation of the oral aloe preparations, liver enzymes returned to normal level. Aloe should be considered as a causative agent in hepatotoxicity.
PMID: 20191055

→ source (external link)

Ann' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://pmid.us/17726067']Ann Pharmacother. 2007 Oct;41(10):1740-3. Epub 2007 Aug 28.
Oral aloe vera-induced hepatitis.
Bottenberg MM, Wall GC, Harvey RL, Habib S.
Source
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Des Moines, IA, USA. michelle.bottenberg@drake.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report a case of possible oral aloe vera-induced hepatitis.
CASE SUMMARY: A 73-year-old female was admitted to the hospital for acute hepatitis. Extensive laboratory testing did not reveal the cause of the patient's disease. She was asked multiple times whether she was taking any home medications, which she initially denied. It was only after an extensive medication history done by a clinical pharmacist that the patient admitted to using oral aloe vera capsules for constipation. Upon discontinuation of the oral aloe vera, liver markers of hepatotoxicity returned to normal levels.
DISCUSSION: Herbal medications pose an increasing problem in patient safety, as the different types of these products and the number of patients who use them continue to grow. In the US, these products are not subject to the same regulatory scrutiny as prescription medications; thus, safety information can be difficult to obtain. In particular, hepatic toxicity due to herbal agents is poorly described in the medical literature. Aloe vera, often used topically for minor burns, can also be used orally as a laxative or an "anti-aging" agent. According to the Naranjo probability scale, the hepatotoxicity in this case was possibly related to ingestion of oral aloe vera. Additionally, using the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method for determining drug hepatotoxicity, the patient's symptoms were scored as probably caused by oral aloe vera. The more conservative designation was used in our report.
CONCLUSIONS: With the widespread use of oral aloe vera and other herbal products, clinicians faced with a case of acute hepatitis that is not readily diagnosed should question patients about herbal use.
PMID: 17726067

→ source (external link)

Edited by ta5, 26 September 2012 - 01:39 AM.