Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of older Americans and their families and at this point in time there is no known preventative measure or cure. However, a small but exciting study has been released suggesting that supplementation with aloe vera and other nutrients may actually help reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Participants in the study included 34 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. Over the course of 12 months the participants took four teaspoons daily of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex (APMC).

At the nine-month marker, 46% of the participants showed notable cognitive improvement as marked by a standard cognition test. The researchers also noted an average 377% increase in stem cell production, which indicated that damage in the brain was being repaired. Immune functioning also improved.

The aloe polymannose multinutrient complex administered in the test contained aloe vera, stabilized rice bran, Larch tree fiber, cysteine, soy lechitin and inositol hexaphosphate.

Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine conducted the study. It was published in the January 2013 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including improved oral health, controlling blood sugar levels, pain relief following hemorrhoid surgery and helping with dry skin.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

High increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent animal study showed that supplements of the probiotic lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) lowered total cholesterol levels in rats by 32%. Supplements of LGG and aloe Vera lowered them even further, to 43%.

The researchers divided the rats into four different intervention groups:

1. control with normal diet

2. hypercholesterolemic (high cholesterol) diet with LGG

3. hypercholesterolemic diet with aloe Vera

4. hypercholesterolemic with a combination of LGG and aloe Vera

The rats stayed on the diets for 45 days. At the end of the study period, the LGG and aloe Vera group saw the lowering of total cholesterol mentioned above, as well as a 12% increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, improvements in triacylglycerol levels, a 45% reduction in very low-density lipoprotein and a 30% reduction in low-density lipoprotein.

The study was conducted by researchers from India’s National Institute of Nutrition. It was published online ahead of print on January 3, 2013, in the journal Nutrition.

Aloe Vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including helping to heal burns and insect bites, improved oral health, lowering inflammation, improving digestion, improving blood sugar control, and improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Probiotics are most commonly known for improving digestion and gut health, but they have also been linked to other health benefits including a stronger immune system and a reduced risk of chronic disease.

Probiotics can be found naturally in many foods, such as yogurt, milk and sauerkraut. You may also consider taking a high quality supplement but make sure it is packaged to block light, air and moisture which can easily kill probiotics.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Infected leg ulcers can lead to disability or even death. Due to their often chronic nature, many become drug-resistant. Recently, researchers have discovered that applying the inner leaf juice of aloe vera gel may halt the growth of drug-resistant bacteria in leg ulcers.

The study included 60 individuals with leg ulcers infected with multi-drug resistant organisms. 30 of them were treated with topical aloe vera gel and 30 were treated with topical antibiotics.

The researchers found that 10 participants in the aloe vera group had no new bacterial growth by the fifth day. By the seventh day another 16 participants had no new growth and by the ninth day two of the remaining four participants were no longer growing new bacteria either. The remaining two participants saw no decrease in the bacterial count.

There was no change in the control group.

The study was conducted at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. It was published online ahead of print on June 30, 2012, in the Australaisan Medical Journal.

Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including pain relief from hemorrhoid surgery, helping to heal burns and insect bites, improved oral health, helping with kidney stones, reducing the risk of cancer and helping with dry skin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study published in the January 2010 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dietary plant fibers called polysaccharides may boost the immune system.

For the study, researchers from St George’s University of London recruited 12 participants and monitored their immune system function by measuring plasma glycan profiles for a period of seven weeks.

After the 7 week period, the researchers gave the participants a supplement that contained polysaccharides from brown seaweed and aloe vera. The researchers steadily increased the dose of the supplement from 1.3 grams per day for weeks 1-4 to 5.2 grams per day for the final 7-8 weeks of supplementation.

The researchers found that the supplements significantly increased the participant’s immune response and that this increase was more substantial at higher doses.

These findings further the science directly connecting diet with health. While further research is still necessary, boosting the immune system may soon be added to the list of benefits associated with dietary plant fibers.

These benefits already include improving blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, alleviating joint pain, colon and liver health, and boosting the immune system. Some foods high in dietary plant fibers include dates, oatmeal, apples and broccoli.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Numerous studies have shown aloe vera to be effective at helping to heal wounds, ease the pain of burns and aid digestion. A new study has found that aloe vera may also be effective at reducing pain and speeding healing following hemorrhoid surgery.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Their findings were published in the June 2010 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Contemporary Medicine.

The researchers conducted a double blind, placebo-controlled study that compared the effects of an aloe vera cream to a placebo cream on posthemorroidectomy pain.

49 postoperative patients participated in the study. 24 were randomly selected to receive the aloe vera cream and 25 received the placebo.

The participants applied the cream to the surgical site 3 times per day for 4 weeks following the surgery. Pain was assessed at 12, 24 and 48 hours after surgery, and then again at the end of weeks 2 and 4. Wound healing was evaluated at the end of weeks 2 and 4.

Patients who used the aloe vera cream had significantly less postoperative pain at hours 12, 24 and 48 and at 2 weeks. They also experienced less pain during defecation 24 and 48 hours post surgery.

Additionally, wound healing 2 weeks after surgery was significantly greater in the aloe vera cream group compared to the placebo group, and the aloe users used fewer pain relievers post surgery.

Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including but not limited to improved oral health, helping with kidney stones, managing diabetes, reducing the risk of cancer and helping with dry skin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Aloe vera is best known for healing sunburns, minor cuts and skin irritation and has also been associated with a laundry list of other health benefits. New research shows that the benefits of Aloe vera may now be extended to oral health as well.

The new study was published in the May/June Issue of General Dentistry, and found that Aloe vera may help prevent cavities and kill disease causing bacteria in the mouth.

The researchers also found that the anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe vera can help keep gums healthy.

The study compared the germ-fighting capability of an aloe vera tooth gel to two well known toothpaste brands. The research showed the aloe vera tooth gel to be as effective as the commercial brands at containing cavity-causing bacteria.

This study comes on the heels of another study that found that Aloe vera can help with other oral health woes such as canker sores, cold sores and herpes.

The lead author of the study, Dr Dilip George, suggests that consumers research aloe products to find the ones produced in a manner that best maintains the plant’s nutrients. This is because overheating at any step in the process can reduce or outright destroy the positive compounds in Aloe vera.

In terms of oral health, consumers with sensitive teeth and gums can benefit the most from Aloe vera because it does not contain the abrasive elements found in most toothpaste brands.

It is becoming more and more apparent that the anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral actions of Aloe vera give the plant many more health properties than simply healing cuts and burns. Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including but not limited to pain relief from hemorrhoid surgery, helping with kidney stones, managing diabetes, reducing the risk of cancer and helping with dry skin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Cold weather wreaks havoc on your skin, making it dry and flaky.  Dry skin is not due to a lack of oil but a lack of water.  As skin dries out it can cause itchiness, resulting in a condition called “Winter Itch.”

According to Dr. Diane Berson, a dermatologist at the Iris Cantor Women’s health center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The best thing you can do to relieve the itch is to moisturize your skin because, unfortunately you can’t do anything about the weather.

Scientific studies and case reports show that one of the best natural moisturizers is the gel from the popular Aloe vera plant.  Used regularly, it helps relieve flaking and itching from dry skin.

And according to leading Aloe vera researcher, Dr. Ivan Danhof, Aloe gel helps your skin absorb moisture faster. In fact, Aloe vera increases the moisture absorption rate of the skin by three to four times compared to water.

In addition, Aloe vera gel has anti-bacterial properties.  One study found that Aloe vera applied topically three times a day can clear up a stubborn serious skin condition known as plaque-type psoriasis.  And with continued use there were no relapses.

When purchasing an Aloe Vera product, find out the actual percent of Aloe vera in the product.  Many marketers sell products with only a miniscule amount of Aloe Vera and use a phrase such as “made with 100% aloe” on the label.

In addition to moisturizing your skin with Aloe vera, the following steps can provide relief from dry and itchy winter skin:

1. Moisturize Daily
2.Cleanse your skin, but don’t over due it
3. Limit the use of hot water and soap
4. Humidify
5. Protect yourself from the wind
6. Avoid extreme cold
7. Protect your skin from the sun
8. Exercise

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

The result of a new study indicates that Aloe vera may help prevent kidney stones in adults.

Kidney stones are one of the most painful disorders of the urinary tract. A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney.

Normally, urine contains chemicals that stop the crystals from forming, but because of urinary tract infection or other problems, this process doesn’t work in everyone.

Men, particularly white males, are the most prone to developing kidney stones. The prevalence of kidney stones rises dramatically as men enter their 40s and continues to increase into their 70s. For women, the prevalence of kidney stones peaks in their 50s. Once a person gets more than one stone, others are likely to develop.

Scientists at Khon Kaen University in Thailand gave a daily does of Aloe vera gel to 31 male adults. After one week, the test group participants had a significant decrease in “oxalate” in their urine. A high concentration of oxalate in the urine contributes to kidney stone formation.

In addition, another marker, called the “Permissible Increment in Calcium” increased significantly in the participants consuming Aloe vera. This means that there was greater inhibition of calcium in the urine, which also helps prevent kidney stone formation.

Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including but not limited to pain relief from hemorrhoid surgery, improved oral health, managing diabetes, reducing the risk of cancer and helping with dry skin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

In late 2005, researchers at the Biochemical Research Laboratory in Tokyo, Japan ran a clinical trial of 70 people diagnosed as borderline diabetic.

The study results indicated that regular intake of Aloe vera helped reduce levels of fasting blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin. The scientists concluded that Aloe may play a role in preventing and improving diabetes.

In July 2006, the same Japanese researchers published a study in the Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin. In the study, they were able to successfully identify five phytosterol compounds (also known as plant sterols) that give Aloe vera its anti-diabetic activity.

Phytosterols are the plant fats now being added to foods such as butter and salad dressings to help lower cholesterol.

Diabetes is a complicated disease that involves lifestyle and diet modification, but several research studies indicate adding Aloe vera to your diet can definitely help.

For example, a double blind study of 78 people by a team of scientists in Thailand demonstrated Aloe vera’s potential.

Participants in the test group added a tablespoon of Aloe vera juice to their diet. After six weeks, the average blood sugar level of the 39 participants in the test group declined 43% from 250mg/dl to 142 mg/dl. The control group (those not receiving Aloe vera) showed an average increase in blood sugar of 2.4% during the same period.

Also, the Aloe vera treatment group saw blood triglyceride levels decline by 44% over the six week period from an average of 220 mg/dl to 123 mg/dl. The control group showed an average increase in blood triglyceride levels of 8.4%.

The scientists authoring the study believe the results suggest that Aloe vera has potential in treating diabetes because it can lower not only blood sugar, but also triglyceride levels which are often high in diabetic patients.

This study confirms the results of previous work done by Dr. O. P. Agarwal, who conducted a clinical trial on 5,000 patients with heart disease over a five year period.

After adding Aloe vera to the patients diet he found a marked reduction in triglyceride and blood sugar levels in diabetic patients.

(Side Note: ALL 5,000 patients were still alive at the end of the 5 years!!)

Another trial at Mahidol University in Thailand was conducted to see if Aloe vera could help diabetic patients who did not respond to glibenclamide, an antidiabetic medication used to lower blood sugar.

The patients taking the medication glibenclamide alone did not see an improvement in fasting blood glucose or triglycerides.

When the treatment group took Aloe vera for six weeks, on average, they experienced a 48% decrease in blood sugar levels and a 52% decrease in triglycerides.

Diabetes is one of the country’s fastest growing and most dangerous diseases. Approximately 16 million people in the U.S. (6% of the population) suffer from this disease and another 30 million are estimated to have diabetes but are undiagnosed.

About one million individuals are diagnosed with diabetes each year, a 40% increase over the past decade.

Furthermore, the rate of diagnosis in people in their 30′s has increased by 70%. This indicates diabetes is attacking Americans an earlier age.

Among other health problems, a patient with diabetes can have up to four times the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Further study needs to be done to better understand the anti-diabetic activity of Aloe vera. However, Aloe vera along with other lifestyle and diet changes may be able to help control this dangerous disease.

Aloe vera has been linked to a number of health benefits, including but not limited to pain relief from hemorrhoid surgery, improved oral health, helping with kidney stones, reducing the risk of cancer and helping with dry skin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Q: What drugs interact with Aloe vera?
Dr. Perry: According to information compiled from medical journals by Healthnotes, Inc., there are only two drugs that interact with Aloe vera. In both cases, Aloe vera may enhance the activity of the drug.

The first is glyburide, a drug prescribed to lower blood sugar levels in type-2 diabetics. Aloe has been shown to have a supportive interaction with glyburide meaning it may help your medication work better.

One study in Thailand reported that combining aloe juice with glyburide significantly improved blood sugar and lipid levels in people with diabetes, compared with the placebo. Previously, glyburide by itself had not effectively controlled diabetes in the people in this study.

The second possible interaction of Aloe vera is with topical corticosteroids. These drugs, such as cortisone, are used topically to treat inflammation and itching skin. In the laboratory research done so far, applying aloe gel topically along with a topical corticosteroid enhanced the hormone’s anti-inflammatory activity in the skin.

Separately, the only other interaction caution I’m aware of was reported by doctors in Hong Kong. They believe that taking Aloe vera with the blood thinner sevoflurane, may enhance the anti-platelet effect of the drug. Their suggestion is to suspend using Aloe vera and sevoflurane together before a surgical procedure to reduce the risk of excess bleeding.

Aloe vera is widely known as a safe dietary supplement. As always, it makes sense to keep your healthcare provider informed of everything you are taking so together you can monitor and understand changes in your health indicators.

Q: Can you take too much Aloe vera?
Dr. Perry: Practically speaking the answer is no.
Here is the scientific evidence that supports my conclusion. First, to determine the safety of dietary foods and drugs, the FDA mandates tests called LD50s. The way these FDA tests are structured, animals are given extremely large doses of the substance being tested and the dose continues to be increased until a toxic level is determined.

LD50′s were performed on Aloe vera in the 1960′s and no matter how absurdly high the scientists made the Aloe vera dosage, they were not able to generate a toxic response or even a severe reaction.

More recently, work was done to determine what levels of Aloe vera might result in some adverse side effects- not toxicity, just unwanted reactions. The researchers found that the dose had to be greater than 2 grams of Aloe vera for every 1 kilogram of body weight before adverse side effects were recorded.

To put this in perspective, a 100 pound person would have to take 455 of our TrueAloe® capsules a day to reach this level. Similarly, a 200 pound person would have to take 910 TrueAloe® capsules a day.

We recommend taking between 4 and 8 TrueAloe® capsules a day. Based on the scientific evidence, this is well within safety guidelines.