Dear Friends,
In this letter, I hope to clear up one of the greatest misunderstandings about Aloe vera that confuses a good number of consumers, and some health care professionals too.
It involves a question that we get asked several times a month, which is some version of the following…
“I read (or was told) that I shouldn’t take Aloe vera because it causes diarrhea or colon problems or kidney issues or other gastrointestinal distress. Is this true?”
I’m going to summarize the answer for you and then explain it in more detail.
If your Aloe vera supplement or other Aloe product includes a part of the plant called the Aloe latex, which contains compounds called anthraquinones that have a very strong laxative and potentially harmful effect, then you could experience unwanted side effects like those mentioned.
However, very few Aloe vera products sold in the United States these days contain the latex part of the plant. In industry lingo, this means these supplements contain “decolorized Aloe vera.”
This is largely true even with products that I would say are otherwise lower quality Aloe vera offerings.
So, practically speaking, it’s very unlikely you will experience diarrhea and other unwanted effects from Aloe vera supplements because the compounds that trigger this reaction in your body aren’t in reputable Aloe vera products.
How Can I Be Sure My Product Is Free From These Compounds?
If you want to be certain your product doesn’t contain these compounds, look for Aloe vera that’s been certified by the International Aloe Science Council (IASC), like what we use at NatureCity.
One of the criteria for being certified by the IASC is the Aloe vera raw material must be virtually free of the laxative anthraquinone compounds (verified by lab testing).
Their standard mandates that the Aloe vera extract must contain less than 10 parts per million of the main anthraquinone, which is called aloin.
I can tell you the Aloe vera we use at NatureCity consistently tests at 1 or less part per million, or barely detectable amounts, far better than the IASC standard.
Now, does this mean no one will ever have an unwanted reaction to Aloe vera? No, but that’s the case with just about any plant or food product.
We all have botanicals or foods that our bodies are sensitive to (if not an outright allergy) - it’s a personal thing that varies by individual.
When it comes to Aloe vera supplements, we’ve found that taking Aloe vera, without the Aloe latex, is very well tolerated by most people.
Based on over 20 years of experience with our Aloe vera products and insights from peers in the Aloe industry, I would estimate that over 99% of users tolerate and use it with no problems or gastrointestinal distress. The safety history of legitimate Aloe vera products is very strong.
So Why Do Some Say to Avoid Aloe Vera?
I think it stems from confusion about industry jargon – specifically decolorized Aloe vera versus non-decolorized whole leaf Aloe vera.
Unless you work with Aloe vera, it’s very unlikely you’re familiar with these terms, and their difference and significance.
Realistically, have you heard anyone in everyday conversation speaking in terms of decolorized versus non-decolorized Aloe?
No. People mostly know Aloe vera as the plant with the soothing gel for skin, burns and maybe if they know about its use internally, its ability to help digestion and other things.
You don’t hear many people discussing anthraquinones, and the nuances of decolorized and non-decolorized Aloe vera.
So when a study is published saying non-colorized whole leaf Aloe vera can be harmful or cause gastrointestinal problems, all they see is Aloe vera and harmful, the rest is a blur.
Like this study here, which I believe was the catalyst for a lot of the misunderstanding about Aloe vera. It was published about 13 years ago by the NIH – and the title is:
“NTP TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS STUDIES OF A NONDECOLORIZED WHOLE LEAF EXTRACT OF ALOE BARBADENSIS MILLER (ALOE VERA) IN F344/N RATS AND B6C3F1 MICE”
This work found that Aloe vera with the unwanted compounds found in the Aloe latex start causing gastrointestinal problems within a couple of weeks, and after 2 years of use led to more serious complications.
Not too surprising – after all if you induce chronic diarrhea in any living organism for 2 years, it’s going to cause a lot of health issues.
What About Aloe Vera Without The Latex?
You may be thinking, why didn’t the study look at Aloe vera without the latex (or decolorized Aloe in the industry parlance)?
Well they did – and didn’t find any notable adverse effects– which is consistent with previous and subsequent research on this type of Aloe vera (which is representative of almost all the products sold in the United States).
So when the NIH sent this study around for public comment by interested parties, the Aloe industry response was… “we know all this already, what’s the point?”
Aloe vera without the latex has been found to be well tolerated, and when the latex is consumed, the strong laxative effects can cause problems – which is why FDA essentially banned use of the Aloe latex as a laxative in 2002.
The Aloe industry also commented on something that proved prophetic, which was that this study was going to confuse a lot of people who don’t understand the nuances of decolorized versus non-decolorized Aloe vera.
The concerning findings in this study related to a form of Aloe vera that’s not representative of what’s sold in the marketplace.
And 13 years later, we’re still getting questions somewhat regularly from folks who are confused.
Where Is The Aloe Latex Found In The Plant?
Last, I just want to explain a little more about this Aloe latex and where it’s found in the plant.
Aloe latex or “sap” refers to a yellow gel-like layer, bitter in taste, which resides between the inner gel and outer parts of the leaf.
Aloe suppliers know to carefully exclude this part of the leaf when fileting it to make Aloe powder or liquid products.
As mentioned earlier, the Aloe latex contains compounds called anthraquinones (also known as aloin or emodin) which have very strong laxative and cathartic properties - and can cause painful stomach cramps, diarrhea and interfere with nutrient absorption, all of which could lead to serious health conditions.
This is not a concern with TrueAloe, AloeCran or any other NatureCity supplement containing Aloe vera. The Aloe latex is not part of the Aloe we use. It’s “decolorized” to use the industry jargon.
I hope this helps clear up this misunderstanding about Aloe vera supplements – which can support your health in many valuable ways and have an excellent history of safe use. Just be sure to choose products without the Aloe latex.
Yours for Good Health,
Carl Pradelli
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