Noni, scientifically known as Morinda citrifolia, has been used as a dietary supplement in the United States since the 1990s. Distributors of the product exaggerated its claims for curing a number of ailments and conditions, including weight loss. Quite a few scientific studies have been done on noni, most in vitro or on animals. More research is needed on humans to determine the extent of noni's beneficial effects, especially concerning weight loss.
Identification
The noni plant, also called morinda, is a tropical evergreen tree reaching about 10 feet in height. It grows in Tahiti and other Pacific Islands and is also found in parts of Asia, Australia, South America and the Caribbean. It produces a potato-sized fruit that turns from green to a ripe yellow or white. The juice, fruit, bark and leaves are harvested for use in herbal remedies from Polynesian folk medicine.
Use
Noni products first appeared in the United States in 1996 when a Utah company called Morinda, Inc. started selling it as a dietary supplement. Morinda is now called Tahitian Noni International and is one of many suppliers of noni products. Claims for the product have ranged from curing cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome to diabetes, hypertension, pain and menstrual cramps. Noni has also been touted as a health maintenance product and immune system stimulant. Some distributors have called it a general tonic, stress reliever and facial and body cleanser.
It comes in the form of juice, extract, powder, capsules, facial cleanser, bath gel and soap. The juice form is often mixed with other juices because of the unpleasant taste. Some have described it as tasting like rotten cheese or old prune juice.
Weight Loss
The website of Tahitian Noni International claims that research supports certain benefits of noni, and that the products support your immune system, deliver superior antioxidant activity to rid your body of harmful free radicals and increase energy. Noni is cholesterol-friendly and the company claims that it allows for greater physical performance levels. There is no mention of weight loss and no documented research to support this. However, if the plant increases energy and allows for greater physical performance levels, it could indirectly affect weight loss.
Research
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports that at least one internet distributor of noni porducts was issued a warning from the FDA for presenting misleading claims of health benefits of noni. In the last two decades, products containing noni have been represented as curing chronic fatigue, hypertension and cancer. The Cancer Center, which has reviewed many of the studies, says that although many of the supposed beneficial effects of noni are unsubstantiated, in vitro and animal studies do suggest that the plant extracts contain antifungal, antitumor and immunomodulatory properties. Because noni inhibits low-density-lipoprotein oxidation, it has been suggested for preventing arteriosclerosis. Glycosides from the fruits and leaves have shown antioxidant effects. In very high concentrations noni juice has been shown to inhibit the growth of blood vessels, which is important in trying to shut down tumor growth. A 2009 study reported in the "Journal of Nutrition and Cancer" showed that noni juice may reduce the risk of cancer in smokers.
Cautions
There is no evidence that noni juice reduces cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com, and it warns that because of noni's high potassium content, it could raise potassium levels dangerously high if a large amount is ingested. Noni products should be used cautiously, if at all, in people with chronic kidney disease or those who take certain blood pressure medications, such as potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors or ARBs.
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