Lemon has been used for thousands of years as a food and for its medicinal benefits. In fact, English ships were required to carry it on board to prevent certain disease among sailors. Today, lemon is used to manage a variety of ailments but there is not enough information from human studies support its efficacy for any of its uses. First consult with your health care provider if you are considering using lemon or any other supplement for medicinal purposes.
Identification and Dosage
The lemon is also known as Citrus limon. There is little scientific information on which to base dosing recommendations for lemon. However, according to Drugs.com, lemon juice may be taken in doses of 120 ml per day which is equivalent to 5.9 g of citric acid.
Uses
Lemon is used to possibly enhance urination, reduce fever, prevent the common cold, and prevent or treat scurvy, which is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, according to the Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plant Products, or CNCPP. It is also used to purportedly alleviate inflammation of the gums, mouth and tongue. Other uses include possibly relieving constipation and colic. Some use lemon to supposedly treat gonorrhea.
Effectiveness
Lemon may possibly reduce the risk of certain conditions, such as hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis, or kidney stone formation due to low amounts of citrate in the urine. Lemon may also have antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects, says Drugs.com. However, there is insufficient information from human studies to rate the effectiveness of lemon for any of these uses. Research is ongoing to investigate potential benefits of lemon.
Considerations
Lemon is considered as generally safe when taken in food amounts. The safety of lemon in amounts above those found in food is not currently known and should therefore be avoided during pregnancy or lactation. Prolonged daily use of lemon may have corrosive effects on tooth enamel and may even erode the teeth to the level of the gums, says the CNCPP. According to Drugs.com, lemon may also worsen symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
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