Aloe is a succulent plant widely used in alternative medicine. There are at least 420 different plant species of Aloe. Aloe vera specifically refers to the Aloe barbadensis Miller plant, which is the most commonly used form in Aloe products.
How is Aloe used?
Traditionally, the clear gel of the Aloe plant is rubbed into the skin as an ointment to treat wounds and burns. The green part of the leaf can be made into juice or dried and taken orally as a laxative. Aloe vera is used in many commercial products in various forms, including drinks, concentrates, capsules, powders and as a flavoring.
What if I use Aloe vera gel on my skin, will it harm me?
Applying Aloe vera gel to the skin is not likely to cause damage. Although these particular NTP studies only looked at oral exposure to Aloe vera, other NTP studies looked at the effects of the gel on the skin and did not find a strong link between Aloe vera present in skin care products, sunlight and the development of skin cancer. The results of these skin studies were reported in the Technical report NTP 553 on the study of photococarcinogenesis of Aloe Vera.
Why would people consume drinks containing aloe?
Product advertisements claim that the drinks can be used to cleanse the digestive system or relieve constipation.
What makes Aloe act as a laxative?
The outer pulp of aloe leaves, known as latex, contains anthraquinones. Aloin is an anthraquinone present in latex which could give the plant its laxative qualities.
How much aloin is contained in products in the United States that can be consumed by the public?
There is very little data on aloin levels in consumer products. According to published research, aloin levels in most liquid products are less than 1 part per million (ppm); however, levels in solid or semi-solid products may be 10 to 100 times higher.
How much aloin is in a typical drink?
It’s not clear. The industry generally processes Aloe vera leaf to produce a decolorized whole leaf extract to remove aloin. The industry has a self-regulated upper limit of 10 ppm aloin in orally ingested products, but there are no labeling requirements regarding aloin content.
What are the harmful effects of excessive exposure to aloe in humans?
Further research is needed to answer this question. In rodents, it caused intestinal tumors. If you are concerned, have a health problem, or are taking other medications, herbs, or supplements, you should talk to your doctor before changing existing treatments or starting any new treatments.
How similar are the doses of aloin found in drinking water given to animals to those found in Aloe vera products?
This is unclear because there is no labeling requirement indicating aloin content. The concentration of aloin in the water drunk by rodents in the NTP study is similar to that found in some Aloe vera products, but higher than in other products. The NTP wanted to test an Aloe preparation that includes all the components that may be present in products available on the market. The NTP study used a whole leaf extract of Aloe barbadensis Miller that did not undergo carbon filtration during processing. Many commercial Aloe vera beverage producers use charcoal filtration to reduce aloin levels in their products.
Is Aloe vera regulated?
Aloe Vera is a food supplement and not a regulated medicine. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of these products. Aloe vera is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a food additive for flavor.
What do rodent NTP studies mean for humans?
There are serious concerns about NTP studies in rats. Some questions that need to be answered before their importance can be fully appreciated include:
- What products are actually present on the market?
- What are the levels of aloin in a wide range of products?
- What are the modes of human exposure?
There is not enough information currently available to know how much Aloe vera people consume or for how long. Based on what we currently know, there is nothing to lead us to believe that this discovery would not be relevant to humans.
What could cause the tumors and other effects?
We suspect aloin but are not sure. We hope to do more studies to determine the possible cause of the tumors.
Should I stop drinking aloe?
This is a decision you may want to make with your healthcare provider. Like any personal decision, the more information you have, the better. Currently, manufacturers of these products are not required to label the concentration of aloin in Aloe vera products. If aloin is the cause of tumors in rats, then generally speaking, the lower the concentration of aloin in a product, the lower the chance that it can cause harm. The tumors developed in animals that drank water containing 60 ppm aloin daily for most of their lives.
