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You are here: Home / Medicinal Uses / Aloe Juicing? What You Should Know

Aloe Juicing? What You Should Know

December 25, 2013 by Danielle Brown 16 Comments

Ah, the juicing bandwagon! Have you heard of it? It is all the rage these days. If you are looking for the fast-track to a healthy body, try juicing–or so they say. But here are some things you should know before you hop on the aloe juice trend.  While it is true that aloe has hefty health benefits–from relieving constipation to aiding digestion– this medicinal herb can have adverse effects if not taken in the proper dosages.

Be Safe: Aloe Vera Dosage

Many companies that sell aloe juice suggest drinking their bottled concoction regularly, but is that just a  sale’s gimmick? Are regular aloe drinks really good for your health?  Not quite. Moderation and short-term use are key when taking aloe orally.

In this day and age we tend to associate any healthy food, herb, or supplement with quantity: the more, the merrier, you might say. So, when consuming aloe juice your immediate reaction may be to throw caution to the wind and down it, thinking that by doing so you will either (1) get more of its health benefits, or (2) see quicker results. Unfortunately, this potent herb (and most others) does not work that way. When using aloe as an oral plant medication (especially for digestive ailments or to improve intestinal health), you should only be taking it for a short period of time. After 1 or 2 weeks, stop treatment and wait at least a month before diving back into your aloe drink.

Monitor Your Body

While you are taking aloe and when you are giving your body time to recover from its intensive herbal treatment, pay attention to your body.  Using the time frame above will help you gauge when it is safe to resume your aloe drinking and avoid complications; however, your body knows best. If your body does not seem ready (e.g. you gag the next time you try to throw aloe juice down your throat), give it more time. Space will do you some good when it comes to your relationship with aloe vera.  When in doubt, space it out!

Know Your Aloe: Not all Aloe is for Internal Use

Aloe has two parts: a clear, gel-substance found in the middle of the plant leaf, which is called aloe gel and aloe latex, a yellow substance found right under the skin of the leaf. When making aloe juice yourself, you want to scrape the aloe gel from your aloe leaf, paying careful attention to avoid that aloe latex. If you are purchasing aloe from the store to use, make sure it is the edible kind. Pick up the wrong stuff, and your health-boosting juice will become a health nightmare.

Consequences of Long Term (or Heavy) Use of Aloe Vera

  • loss of electrolytes (especially potassium when taken with water pills or diuretics for heart conditions)
  • cause diarrhea

According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, consuming large amount of aloe juice can cause diarrhea. Why? Aloe latex (the active ingredient in laxative aloe juice and similar products) contains anthraquinone, a laxative substance that can consequently result in diarrhea. Symptoms of diarrhea include cramping, pain, and dehydration; discontinue use of aloe juice and consult a doctor if this occurs.

To help prevent diarrhea from aloe vera juice (whether or not it contains aloe latex), hydrate well. Aloe juice should not be drunk in place of water. Be sure to sit with an additional jug of water alongside your thermos of aloe vera juice at work to avoid dehydration. This little fact also means you do not want to forgo all other food and drink and diet with this juice. Aloe is not the plant for that. Diet elsewhere.

Avoid Taking Aloe Internally:

  • if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • during menstruation
  • if you have hemorrhoids, degeneration of the liver and gall bladder

Aloe Vera Juice Precautions: Drug Interactions

Of course, aloe is no different from other herbal supplements in that it can have adverse interactions with other medications (i.e., aloe can increase of inhibit their effects). Check with your doctor or nutritionist before adding aloe to your diet if your are taking prescription or over-the -counter drugs.

We all know the cliché “Too much of anything is never a good thing.” And it’s a saying that sums up what there is to say about aloe vera juice.

Related posts:

Arthritis Getting You Down? Can Aloe Really Help?
Aloe For Healthy Dogs, Cats, and Horses
Aloe Vera Juice Benefits

Filed Under: Medicinal Uses

Comments

  1. Maajah says

    April 9, 2014 at 1:21 pm

    Is it safe to take Aloe vera gel during breast feeding?

    Reply
    • Danielle Brown says

      April 11, 2014 at 12:09 am

      Hi Maahah,
      Hold off on consuming aloe while pregnant or breast feeding. You can continue or start taking aloe afterwards!

      Reply
  2. Julie says

    June 11, 2014 at 7:59 am

    Can you drink aloe juice if you have had your gall bladder removed?

    Reply
  3. Darius Lundberg says

    November 5, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    I thought aloe vera was the way Michael Caine pronounces “hello, Vera.”

    Reply
  4. rinki says

    June 5, 2015 at 10:15 am

    Can i take alovera juice daily with empty stomach after exercise

    Reply
  5. Reese says

    August 11, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    A lot of these precautions you’ve listed have absolutely no backing or reasoning. WHY shouldn’t you drink aloe Vera juice while pregnant? WHY shouldn’t you drink it while breastfeeding and WHY shouldn’t you drink it while menstruating. That would create a more helpful article.

    Reply
    • Kia Mia says

      February 11, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      According to WebMD, taking aloe latex (the sap) by mouth is likely unsafe, especially at high doses. There is some concern that some of the chemicals found in aloe latex might cause cancer. Additionally, aloe latex is hard on the kidneys and could lead to serious kidney disease and even death.

      http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-607-aloe.aspx?activeingredientid=607&activeingredientname=aloe

      Reply
    • Ava Laasch says

      April 9, 2016 at 12:16 am

      Ok, so just a little reasoning here that if it gives a mother diarrhea… The baby could get it too!!! I nursed four and the one thing to be very cautious about is eating or drinking ANYTHING that could possibly give the baby diarrhea… If an infant or very young gets it it can be very dangerous. Dehydration in children can kill… Soooo …

      Reply
      • Alison says

        May 13, 2016 at 1:00 am

        Does this rule still apply if the baby is almost 1? I’m a nursing mother, but my baby is completely on solids and primarily drinks juice, rice milk or soy milk. The nursing is mainly “comfort nursing” (2x a day) so I’ve slowly started juicing

        Reply
  6. Kyla says

    June 2, 2016 at 4:10 pm

    Why should t you take aloe internally while menstruating ???!!

    Reply
  7. sam says

    July 19, 2016 at 5:44 pm

    can i drink milk after having alover juice ?

    Reply
  8. sam says

    July 19, 2016 at 5:51 pm

    when should a alover juice be consumed at morning emty stomach or after dinner

    Reply
  9. deborah says

    August 26, 2016 at 6:23 am

    Aloe vera cleanses da body as it helps in digestive system.it even works on askin…its really anatural skin care centre.

    Reply
  10. Stephen says

    March 19, 2017 at 4:28 pm

    1. In my place many Alo vera varieties grow as in the wild. How do i know which one is safe to take.
    2. Can i mix aloe juice with sugarcane juice? Would it have any effect.

    Reply
  11. Ursula Willsmore says

    September 17, 2017 at 2:37 pm

    I picked Aloe Vera plants from my garden, l scrapped the gel off the plant, at least 5 sticks and mixed this up with othe veggies and fruit to make my morning fruit juice. I was wondering if this is safe to do so?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. What are the Benefits and Side Effect of Drinking Aloe Vera Juice or Gel says:
    October 2, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    […] Aloe vera comes with package of benefits, they also include some side effects. […]

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