TITLE:
Effects of Intake of Milk Enriched with Aloe vera on Patients with Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease
AUTHORS:
Marta Sangil-Monroy, Lluís Serra-Majem, José M. Marrero Monroy, Adriana Ortiz Andrellucchi, Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Jorge Doreste, Paul Knipschild
KEYWORDS:
Aloe vera, Alternative Treatment, Gastrointestinal Reflux (See MESH), Clinical Trial
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.5 No.10,
May
12,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Background: Aloe vera has been used by many
civilizations throughout history due to the numerous properties attributed.
Gastro oesophageal reflux disease is a common disorder with consequences for
the patient’s health related quality of life. Aims: The purpose of this study
was to assess the benefits of the Aloe
vera in 80 patients with gastro oesophageal reflux. Methods: This is
probably the first randomised and double-blind trail ever performed on this subject. The study included eight
weeks of treatment with milk enriched with Aloe
vera or placebo. Data of diet (frequency questionnaire), symptoms
(gastrointestinal symptom rating scale) and quality of life (quality of life in
reflux and disease) were obtained. Results: So far, there has been hardly any
proof that Aloe vera decreases
symptoms of reflux disease; on the contrary, a lower percentage of remission of
pain is observed among the Aloe vera group. As long as its effectiveness has not been proven properly, the use of Aloe vera in reflux disease cannot be
recommend. Conclusion: Aloe vera does
not have a beneficial effect on reflux disease under the study conditions.