Aloe vera is first recorded as being used around 6,000 years in ancient Egypt, where the plant was reflected in stone carvings. It was used medicinally for a wide variety of ailments, especially burns, wounds, skin irritations, and constipation. Aloe has is now being studied for possible benefits in managing inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. As with any supplement, consult with your doctor before using aloe for health reasons.
About Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the colon that causes recurring abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, tiredness, weight loss, loss of appetite, and nausea. If you have ulcerative colitis, you can adopt some self-care activities that may help to relieve the symptoms, such as maintaining a healthy diet and taking supplements, including aloe vera.
Preparations and Dosing
Aloe is commercially available in various forms including capsules, tablets, juice, gel, ointment, cream, and lotion. Aloe juice has been studied for ulcerative colitis in doses of 100 ml, or approximately 3.5 oz., two times daily for four weeks. Some people with ulcderative colitis use aloe gel in doses of 2 tbsp., or 30 ml, three times a day.
Effectiveness
A trial published in the journal "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics" in 2004 of people with active ulcerative colitis, demonstrated that aloe caused either a complete or partial improvement in symptoms in significantly more people as compared to those taking placebo, or inactive medicine. This study showed that 47 percent of people taking aloe supplement improved as compared 14 percent taking placebo.
Considerations
According to Drugs.com, taking aloe by mouth for long periods of time may cause side effects, such as bloody diarrhea, muscle weakness, heart ailments, weight loss, and blood in your urine. If you take large daily doses of aloe vera above one gram for extended periods of time, you may develop kidney problems, including kidney failure. Avoid aloe vera if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
References
- National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine: Aloe Vera
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Aloe
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Aloe
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Ulcerative Colitis
- "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics"; Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis; L Langmead, et al.; Apr 2004
- Drugs.com: Aloe
