Is aloe vera for weight loss a good idea or a potentially problematic mistake. It can be hard to know the answer as there are a great many conflicting opinions online. Therefore, before you decide whether or not this is the method for you, it’s a good idea to learn the facts from a source you can trust.
A nutritionist or doctor is, of course, a great person to ask about aloe vera for weight loss, but you can also do some of your own research to discover whether or not you feel it should be worked into your own dieting strategy.
When it all comes down to it, most products using aloe vera for weight loss have the potential to help with a bit of short-term weight loss. However, the odds are that you won’t find that it makes a substantial difference and it will not result in long term outcomes unless you keep it up for the rest of your life. For most people, that simply isn’t possible or desirable.
Before you test aloe products on yourself to see if you can use them to lose weight – regardless of whether they’re gels, juices or supplements – it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. The reason is that this ingredient isn’t appropriate for everybody. In some circumstances, it can lead to side effects or contradictions with other supplements, medications or medical conditions.
The premise behind using aloe to help accelerate a weight loss effort is based primarily on a small animal study published in December 2008 in the Obesity Research & Practice journal. Obese rats were given aloe plant sterols and were found to have reduced abdominal fat after 35 days of supplementation, when compared to the group not given the supplements.
In 2013, another limited study, this one involving humans, was published in the Nutrition journal. It found that patients with obesity and who had diabetes or were prediabetic and who took an aloe vera gel complex for two months reduced their body fat levels more than those who did not receive the supplement. That said, the study is considered preliminary and proves nothing more than that the ingredient warrants further research.
Among the side effects from using aloe vera are that it has a laxative effect – which can lead to diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, dehydration, weak muscles, irregular heartbeat and other symptoms – as well as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping and low potassium levels.
The American Cancer Society cautions against the long term risk of oral aloe vera as it can increase the risk of certain cancers. It can interact with certain medications, can lead to more bleeding during surgeries and could potentially cause thyroid issues.
