Aloe Polyphylla in Wanganui, Manawatu Wanganui, New Zealand – Image Courtesy: J Brew
The use of the Aloe Vera plant has grown on a large scale in recent years although it has been known for centuries for the health and beauty properties that it provides. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians considered it to be the “plant of immortality”. The first part of its name, Aloe, seems to have been derived from the Arabic word “Alloeh” (meaning a shining bitter substance) and ‘Vera’ means ‘true’ in Latin.
Aloe Vera for Exterior and Interior Skin
Aloe Vera has long been known as a powerfully soothing salve for the skin. It is now well known to be wonderful for healing cuts, scrapes, and burns. But did you also know that aloe vera is just as effective with wounded interior skin?
Aloe Vera juice, when taken internally, can soothe the most irritated stomach conditions – even those as severe as peptic ulcers. Peptic (also known as gastric) ulcers, are open sores in the stomach, caused by digestive juices and stomach acid. No one knows for sure what brings on these often painful episodes, but stress, not surprisingly, is often a trigger.
In a 2004 study from the U.K., researchers gave people with active ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, aloe vera gel to drink (remember that in the animal study, they used aloe vera juice, not gel). After four weeks of drinking aloe vera gel in water twice per day, there was a clinical response towards improvement and remission of ulcerative colitis, compared to those given plain water. No significant negative side effects were experienced due to drinking the aloe vera gel.
Ask the Diet Doctor: The Truth About Aloe Vera Juice – Dr. Mike Roussell, PhD, Nutritional Consultant
Time-Honored Plant
People often make the mistake of using the misleadingly soothing-appearing smooth white yogurt made from cow’s milk to treat ulcers. Unfortunately, the lactic acid in yogurt actually worsens the condition.
A much better solution is a plant-based one: Aloe Vera. According to The Analyst, the mild-tasting, colorless, and practically odorless juice of this edible and time-honored plant has functions including providing a protective coating to the stomach lining and promoting healing. And it isn’t just ulcers that Aloe Vera juice can heal or, at the very least, bring the sufferer much comfort, but also other digestive disorders including heartburn / GERD, diarrhea, constipation, and even hiatal hernia.
It is truly called a ‘time-honored’ plant as it was used way back in time by Egyptians queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra for their beauty care, and by Alexander the Great and Christopher Columbus to treat their soldiers’ wounds!
Nature’s Gift
You can find Aloe Vera juice at your local health food store. Keep it refrigerated and follow the instructions on the bottle, or go with what your body tells you that it needs. In a time of so many harmful, artificial, and expensive medications, it’s refreshing to know that we can still heal ourselves and our loved ones with the aid of nature’s gifts, of which the Aloe Vera plant may be one of the most precious.
Cassendre Xavier (aka Amethyste Rah & Amrita Waterfalls) is an award-winning multimedia artist, musician and author, working in Philadelphia. She writes on various subjects including Raw Vegan/Live Foods, Alternative Health and Recovery from Addiction and Abuse.
Alicia says
Aloie Vera can also make stomache probs worse. For example people with IBS can get severe cramps and get the runs.
linda garrison says
When using aloe Make SURE of two important things. One that the aloe is 100% aloe with no citric acid. Citric acid is acid. Two that you don’t have the whole plant or gel. Against the inside skin of the aloe the resin will cause diarrhea. To be sure get the brand Georges. ( health food store) Have been selling this brand for more then 15 years. With get results.
Adam says
Good day I have mouth ulcers and am desperate for something that could help me, as I have been to doctors and everyhting that I have been given has no effect yet made it worse and now at the stage of cutting my tongue and all out of my mouth. Please help ASAP.
Alondra says
Check yourself for sifilis..
Jane White says
We don’t know what causes ulcers? Um, most of them are caused by an infection called H Pylori. Almost all the rest are caused by taking NSAID medications. No mystery.
Gina says
Not true! I am a physician and although NSAID is often a cause of ulcers as well as H Pylori, there
are many different types of bacteria that contributes to ulcers. If a patient tests negative for H Pylori it doesn’t mean that they don’t have an ulcer. Because H Pylori is the most common bacteria, everyone seems to think that this is the only bacteria out there. There is so much that contributes to problems with your GI tract that involve stress. Stress increases the production of acid in your stomach which can cause an imbalance in your GI tract. It’s very common for the public to get the wrong idea regarding these issues.
David Askaripour says
I find this information very interesting, Dr. From my experiences with people, I think that stress has a lot do to with improper digestion, IBS, dyspepsia, etc… If you’re stress, then your GI tract contracts and tightens… leading to all sorts of problems. I think that Yoga would go a long way to remedy a lot of theses sort of ailments. What do you think?
Jerry Johnston says
Dealing with ulcers for a long time and watching the research, yes does say that bacteria is the main cause, and H Pylori seems to be the most common but yes there are others. How they come is not as important as how there treated, not just for the instance in which you first find them but all your life as the lining in the duodenum or the stomach, once scar tissue is left and the ulcer is healed, is thin, and stress causing more acid is then the prime culprit of reviving it. People forget about the ulcer once they feel better, but it is very important to, even though people don’t want to consider themselves ulcer prone as its a label, cater to the ulcer for the rest of your life as people even forget they’ve had one and are plagued by the side effects for months before it hit them they need to treat the very sensitive linings. Aloe works great in doing this, but one needs to keep it around and when stressed or one drinks any acidic drinks like coffee to take a swig to coat the lining. The lining can’t callus like external skin so you have to constantly treat it. Don’t learn the hard way.
Jana says
Aloe vera juice is great. It even cured my horse of his ulcers. Just 60cc a day and his tummy healed up very nicely. It if can work on a 1,600 lbs horse I am sure it can help people.
Wan Yee says
Components from Aloe arborescens and Cape Aloe are found to treat peptic ulcers in rats according to the book Aloes: the genus Aloe. However it seems that these studies were conducted on rats if I understood the info correctly. Interestingly, some references about Aloe vera omit peptic ulcer such as…Mayo clinic. Though there are folks who reported great relief from peptic ulcers after consuming Aloe. I don’t have peptic ulcers but personally I find eating fresh aloe gel in moderation does help digestion a lot.
gabby says
can i mix water with aloe vera and drink as a treatment to ulcer and also can i use it to cure my blister on my lips. it have been killing for a long time. thanks for your concern.
Elizabeth Kairungi says
i have treated ulcers but failed to heal
Eliza
Holly says
Aloe also in itself has anti-bacterial properties…it is a natural source of hydrogen peroxide! 🙂 What a wonderful plant. If you don’t get the results you were hoping for, keep trying higher quality products, aiming for the freshest, most alive/raw juice or gel available. & Make sure you understand the difference between inner leaf/fillet & whole leaf. If you want to go to the bathroom, use the whole…it keeps the properties of the leaf’s latex, a laxative. Inner leaf does not, & soothes & heals more than anything (unless your healing process involves needing to go to the bathroom! Start off with small doses & work your way up!)
Misca says
Zeljko,
You mentioned LILY of the Desert whole leaf Aloe Gel and your serving size was 2 ounces 3 times a day. Did you mean GEL or JUICE form? Now did you take the 2 ounces of Vera GEL? (straight, mixed with water, juice ?)
Thanks
Misca
Mbulaza Khumalo says
I have ulcer and all the treatment I’m using is not working at all, instead its getting worse,,,,
RAY MCKINZIE says
THE LADY THAT SAYS SHE IS TAKING ALOEVERA JUICE AND IT’S GETTING WORSE, IT MAY E AN ALLERGY TO SOMETHING N THE JUICE OR IT COUKD BE A SYMPTOM FROM ANOTHAR SOURCE ASSOCIATED WITH HER STOMAC OR STOMACH LIN ING. SHE NEEDS TO SEE A PATHOLOGIST OR A PRACTICING PHYSICAN TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM REALLY IS.
Elizabeth Brown says
the same happened with me – I found out about aloe vera juice from a natural health book and tried it just four days ago – already the pain I had is lessening . I was diagnosed a few years back with an abcess on a duodenal ulcer and given antibiotics. I would rather try too find natural remedies … I take a half teaspoonful of aloe vera juice in a cup of hot water and find that helps. I only take it once a day …
EMILY MOUBANE says
please send me the information about aloe vera juice,as really raelly i am suffering about the ulcer that i am having and athritis please please help. i am staying in pretoria gauteng province south africa.
EMILY MOUBANE says
Again which foods food should i eat.
Lamin Alexandro Darboe says
I just want to know how to use the Aloe Vera i got the leave, but i don’t know whether i need to split it open and drink the juice raw or i need to add it on warm water and drink it please help me with information. I have being with peptic Ulcer for 11 years of constant pain.