Aloe Vera

i got nothing from aloe

I took the Georges liquid aloe for a month and noticed no difference.

I've tried Aloe Vera gels and juice (Lily of the Desert) for a couple of lengthy periods lasting over a year. I doubt that it was as effective as I would have liked. When you think about it, as Burli said it's mixed in with the poo. I suspect that by the time Aloe (and probs many more 'magic supplements') have lost most of their anti-inflammatory qualities by the time your digestive acids have finished with them. So I discontinued Aloe. I am however, now trying other anti-inflammatories like acai and pomegranate juices (couple oz a day) they are probably decimated by the digestive process as well but at least they taste good!

I also take a turmeric cap daily which I sincerely believe is a good help to the system as a whole.

Enteric-coated capsules seem to be the favoured method of delivery to the large intestine, but just how effective they are I'm not sure.

I do not like anti-biotics. UC is not caused by virus or bacteria. Flares may bring inflamation caused by bacteria though. Anti-biotics may kill the bacteria that do good. My doctors told me to use it cautiously.

 In regards to Aloe. I began taking an Aloe product in pill form several months ago. I can say without a doubt it worked for me. I was a complete mess prior to starting the pills. I researched several companies that supply the pill form and decided to go with a product called AmpFloracel. I can honestly say within a week I was much better. It stopped the urgency and frequency within a month. I tested the pills to see if in fact it was the pills or just time for the UC to give me a break. After stopping the pills for 3 days all my symptoms came back. I started the pills back up again and with a couple days things were back to normal so to speak. Let me also say by the time I had started the pills I had lost 40 plus pounds and could not eat anything without running to the bathroom and was basically homebound. The pills are engineered in such a way that THEY DO get to the colon much like probiotics do. So yes for me the pill form works. I have done alot of research on the pill form and there are medical studies that prove their benefits. My GI explained it to me this way. Probiotics were not something that the medical world put much interest in a few years ago but now they all see the benefits of taking them. Unfortunately the alternatives don't get the clinical trials the big drug companies get so the attention is just not there.  I can say that research has also shown that the juices are not ingested the same way the pill form is so it is not very effective. The down side to the pill form is the cost but for me it is well worth it.   

I bought "a.m.p. Molocure" as it was called at the time...I got no benefit...now it's called "a.m.p. Floracel", same thing just changed the name...aloe is nothing compared to probiotics...there are no successful studies published in medical journals as there are that of others (pig whipworms, probiotics).

From the many posts I've read in here and my own experience you will notice no improvement from A.M.P Floracel or other aloe products for your UC flare.

So aloe vera may have some slight therapeutic value. It's nothing close to what the A.M.P. Floracel company claims in their product they charge so much for. Ingesting some aloe vera juice is not going to have a significant impact on one's flare. Mayo said: "While one small trial found a benefit to taking aloe vera gel daily, the evidence is not strong." My guess is you would have to have extremely mild UC symptoms to notice anything...for my moderate to severe UC I would not (and did not) notice anything...It could be that the way the small trial was conducted, a glass of water may have had just as much therapeutic value...Hence the rating from Mayo Clinic at "C".

I've never tried aloe of any kind, but I found this thread interesting.....

so, as a sort of objective reader (lol) after reading all this, it seems that it would be fair to say that aloe does help some people but not others. Whether that's due to the kind of aloe, the packaging (pills vs liquid) or the particular site or severity of inflammation.....?

I think we've all tried some things that have helped us and not others (or have helped others and not us), whether supplements or regular meds. That's one of the frustrating things about UC - it's not "one cure fits all."

this post sounds as hidden advertising to me...

Boy-from-Oz said...
I started taking 40 mls of Aloe liquid twice a day and noticed a definte improvement, much less blood. There has been a proper clinical trial of Aloe liquid involving, patients on real Aloe, patients on a placebo, and a control group. The majority of the patients who got real Aloe noticed a marked improvement in their UC symptoms. Opposed to the patients on the placebo, and the patients in the control group who took nothing and showed little of no improvements in their symptoms.

Really? Please show me the evidence. Many people ingest aloe vera and have been citing generalities of 'clinical trials' and 'research' yet the fact is: "Unclear scientific evidence for this use" Mayo Clinic - Aloe vera

"...There are safety concerns about taking aloe products by mouth... Doctors around the world have reported hepatitis cases that were linked to taking aloe by mouth for a few weeks or more...Most such supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions...should be considered incomplete...One report suggested that aloe taken by mouth might increase cancer risk to humans. Side effects of taking aloe by mouth may include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and electrolyte (chemical) imbalance in the blood, especially at high doses...Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take aloe by mouth. .."
"Aloe" - American Cancer Society

"Anthraquinone glycosides, a component of aloe, have well established laxative effects. However, case reports have associated hepatitis with aloe taken by mouth. Further research is needed on the efficacy and safety of aloe as a laxative" Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic - Aloe vera

Also "AMP Floracel" (formerly called "AMP Molocure" when I used it and verified it did not work for me) has the following on their website:
"Our product is certified organically grown, is 100% all natural, non-toxic and has no side effects.
•A.M.P. Floracel® is safe for children and adults of all ages.
•A.M.P. Floracel® may be used simultaneously with any supplements or medications.
•Our laboratory has state-of-the-art research and manufacturing equipment (designed to meet FDA and USDA requirements), which extracts the A.M.P. molecule from the raw material Aloe Vera plant.
•A.M.P. Floracel® is manufactured using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)."

you're trusting a company to tell you it's "safe" and "non-toxic" (above) yet they advise you (below) to consult your doctor and do not use what they just told you to treat any health problems (how ironic is that?). Also, terms like 'state-of-the-art are ambiguous buzzwords used throughout industry to sell and impress and people never call anyone on those because you can neither prove or disprove. One can easily say a spoon, scale, food mixer, thermometer and so many things you could not imagine are "state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment". Who is impressed with the term "state-of-the-art research" and what does that entail and how does one prove something isn't state of the art research...just meaningless eye catching terms

Sure makes one believe it's safe and effective as in other places it lists a host of issues and diseases including ulcerative colitis. Yet is also says this as required by law:

"The statements regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. The information on this Web site or in emails is designed for educational purposes only. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding you or your child's condition. Informational material and representations have been provided by the manufacturers of the listed products." - AMP Floracel website

Not to just pick of aloe but the same tactics are being touted by many of the naturals and they are raking in $billions. I'm not saying pharmaceuticals are safe but many in here are quick to buy the next natural believing there is no profit-driven motive behind those products and they are safe - talk to your doctor please.

Companies selling naturals do have enough profit to fund real scientific, meaningful studies but if they're making a profit and everything is going well. People buy the product certain it is safe when that's not been shown that I can tell. For those it harms customers just don't buy it and blame themselves for trying it in the first place (after all - the company told them it wasn't to be used to cure, diagnose or even treat their illness and they were cautioned by the company to consult with their doctor). For those who notice no improvement they move on but at least the company made some money and so that leaves so folks who keep them in business; they're happy so why risk doing a study which could prove their product to be in-effective or do harm . That's business suicide for them. They have nothing to gain if they question whether their product really would help.

If a company really thought their product helped a serious disease and they were turning a good profit it makes sense to me they would be more than eager to invest in their own natural cure it hopes they make a scientific breakthrough - profits would go sky high for them and they would really help many. Come on naturals - Help us please; we are losing our colons and are very sick!!! Why call them on what they claim to heal or benefit by requiring them to donate a portion of their profit, investing it in an approved (recognized/legitimate) org founded to cure common diseases.

Be careful what you put in your body (I'm not happy with Imuran and Remicade - don't get me wrong). But is all I had to take was something like 5-ASA and steroid enemas then I sure know more about side effects and drug interactions on those than many 'naturals'.

Stay happy my friends

Post Edited (Burli) : 3/5/2015 10:56:21 AM (GMT-7)