You can drink aloe vera juice or you can apply it directly to your skin. What you do with aloe vera juice -- whether you apply aloe vera juice topically or internally -- will depend on whether you're hoping to settle your stomach, clear your complexion or soothe arthritis. Aloe vera juice is a popular remedy for constipation, diarrhea, stomachache or stomach upset, arthritis, muscle pain and acne, but the full extent of its effects are still unknown.
Histrory and Folklore
Aloe has long been a traditional medicament worldwide. Ancient figures have reportedly lauded it, from Aristotle advising Alexander the Great to use it on the skin of wounded soldiers, to legendary beauties Cleopatra and Nefertiti utilizing aloe in the care of their royal skins.
Digestion
Aloe vera juice can ease upset stomach or ulcers because it encourages the release of pepsin, a stomach enzyme that assists in digestion. Aloe vera also is an anti-inflammatory, which means it reduces swelling and inflammation, even internally. Aloe vera juice is still being researched but it has been shown in at least four different clinical trials since 1999 to help with ulcers and constipation in human and nonhuman subjects
Skin and Complexion
Aloe vera has long been used to sooth burns on your skin,and it is also widely used as an organic solution to treat acne breakouts because of its antibiotic properties and its mineral and vitamin content. You can use aloe vera juice to clear your skin by drinking 8 oz at least once a day to cleanse your system, and by rubbing aloe vera juice on your face after you wash it.
Arthritis
Many aloe vera juice manufacturers and holistic healing sites claim that you can rub aloe vera juice on your joints and muscles to reduce pain from swelling and arthritis. These accounts of aloe vera juice helping to sooth muscular and joint ache are mostly anecdotal, and it is difficult to find scientific studies to back that claim. Aloe vera juice seems to assist in anti-inflammation, but it is more likely to be useful by drinking it to reduce inflammation in stomach ulcers, and not as topically to relieve joint pain.
Product Choice
Many aloe vera juice manufacturers will water down the product so much that you're not even getting enough pure aloe for it to be beneficial. When choosing which product to purchase, one tip is to always check the ingredients list and make sure aloe vera juice is at the top of the list.
Cautions
There have been more than 200 research studies done to test the health benefits of aloe vera. Many indicate that it appears to be helpful in relieving digestive and skin issues, but some show no noticeable effect and a few show adverse effects. Before beginning a course of treatment it is always best to research a range of sources, consult your healthcare provider, and proceed with caution.
References
- Aloe vera benefits
- "WDDY;" the best aloe vera juice
- "Journal of American Science"; Effect of watery juice of aloe vera and opuntia ficus leaves on gastric acid secretion and healig of acute gastric ulcer in rats; Reham A. Mohamed, Maysa M. El Malah and Reham S. Ramadan; July 2010
- "World Journal of Gastroenterology"; Effects of aloe vera and sucralfate on gastric microcirculatory changes, cytokine levels, and gastric ulcer healing in rats; Kallaya Eamlamnam, Suthiluk Patumraj, Naruemon Visedopas, Duangporn Thong-Ngam; April 2006
- The plant kingdom as a source of anti-ulcer remedies.
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