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Can Mangosteen Juice Relieve Arthritis Pain?

By Janet Martin

[Webmasters Note: Here is a contrary opinion on the question. Because the fruit is a nutritional supplement, controlled studies is never going to be funded to anywhere near the same extent as they are for drugs. This then makes it convenient to knock natural approaches for lacking enough said studies.]

It's supposed to cure everything from cancer to bacterial infections. Now they're saying it's good for arthritis pain and inflammation. Are the claims for mangosteen juice true or should you just ignore them?

Mangosteen juice comes from a fruit that is found in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries. Despite its name, this tropical fruit isn't related to the mango. It's as big an as apple or tangerine and has a creamy flesh. The juice is made by liquefying the seeds, rind, and flesh of the fruit.

"The fruit is marketed as a supplement, available as a juice and in capsule form. The juice typically consists of a mix of mangosteen and other fruit juices, such as apple, pear and blueberry - with an often undisclosed amount of mangosteen juice," according to the Mayo Clinic.

Like other fruits and vegetables, mangosteen is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, potassium, iron, and calcium. The "Queen of Fruit" is rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals in the body that have been linked to heart disease and cancer. It is also a good source of xanthones - chemicals that appear to have potent anti-inflammatory effects.

Marketers of mangosteen juice have even gone as far as saying that the drink has anti-aging, antibiotic, and anti-viral properties.

Unfortunately, these claims are not backed by scientific evidence and are mostly anecdotal in nature. Others are based on a few studies that show good results in animals - not humans. For this reason, it's too early to say whether this juice will help arthritis sufferers.

"No major studies on humans have proven that drinking mangosteen juice on a daily basis would offer significant improvement in illness. However, increasing one's daily dosage of antioxidants, even from supplements, has been proven to boost our absorption of vitamins and therefore strengthen immunity. Yet, the difference between doubling our intake of antioxidants and increasing it tenfold has the same results. Therefore, this juice has no significant advantage over a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, as yet," said S. Mithra in WiseGeek.com.

Until these claims are proven, don't pin your hopes on this juice, especially if you have arthritis. Many medications can help control arthritis pain and inflammation. One popular product is Flexcerin, a natural supplement that soothes aching joints, rebuilds worn joints, and restores joint flexibility and mobility. For details, go to http://www.flexcerin.com.

If you enjoy drinking mangosteen juice, you're welcome to continue doing so although there are less expensive fruit juices that are equally nutritious. But don't expect miracles from this habit.

"So for the time being, drink this juice if you enjoy the taste. But until human studies are completed, claims that mangosteen can cure arthritis or any other disease are just that - undocumented claims," concluded the Mayo Clinic.
Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Martin

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