Potential Side Effects From Noni Juice
Tahitian Noni juice and Hawaiian Noni juice are derived from the fruit of the Noni, also known as morinda citrifolia, Indian mulberry, or beach mulberry. The plant likes soils of volcanic terrain and lava-heavy soils.
Noni juice has been in the headlines lately because of claims that nutrients in Noni juice promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and diminish the likelihood of diabetes, arthritis, hemorrhoids, obesity, and depression. Consumers want to know whether side effects from Noni juice may make them sick.
Healthy Benefits
Noni juice has found to be exceptionally high in vitamin C content; the pulp of the Noni fruit also contains nutrients like niacin, iron, potassium, vitamin A, calcium, and sodium. Controversy exists over whether pasteurization necessary to process puree into juice nullifies the nutritional value of some of these nutrients.
Some of the beneficial side effects claimed from noni juice include lowered blood cholesterol levels and inhibition of formation of cancer cells associated with consumption of other antioxidant substances. In Indochina, the noni fruit is taken for the beneficial side effects from noni juice such as treatment for asthma, lumbago, and dysentery.
Noni juice research is relatively new, with 36 research papers published in 2006-07, and only one NIH peer-reviewed cancer study that involved clinical trials has been conducted, in 2006; it has been reported that the results of the 2006 study have not yet been published.
Questions
In 2005, two scientific journals described patients who consumed noni as having contracted acute hepatitis from the fruit. One study pointed to a toxin in the roots and leaves of the noni as the culprit, and another study found that the hepatitis came directly from the noni juice.
Another of the side effects from noni juice that is that some strains contain high levels of potassium. In particular, persons with a history of advanced kidney disease have been advised to avoid foods with extremely high levels of potassium.
Less than 1% of heavy noni juice users have suffered from side effects like itching, rashes, difficulty breathing, and diarrhea. Less than 2% of heavy noni juice users suffer side effects from noni juice that include mild nausea, slight belching, and gas.
The jury is still out on all the health effects from consuming noni juice; however, medical studies so far suggest that the harmful side effects from noni juice are minimal. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking this juice.
