What Is Aloe Vera? Benefits, Risks, Uses, and More …

Theres not enough evidence to prove aloe vera can treat all the health issues it is said to help with. (3) The claims are many and varied, including:

Aloe latex contains aloin, an anthraquinone that gives aloe vera its laxative properties, and which may relieve constipation, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). (6)

Constipation is a symptom commonly seen in primary care patients and also occurs with chronic digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). (5)

An analysis of three randomized controlled studies published in October 2018 in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility suggests that aloe vera may be useful for individuals with constipation, including those dealing with this symptom in IBS. (7) This is due to aloe veras laxative effect and its ability to increase water in the intestinal lumen.

Aloe creams have a calming effect on the skin and have been shown to help reduce itchiness and inflammation. (5)

In a past review of aloe vera, researchers noted the plant has the ability to inhibit prostaglandin E2 production. (8) These are lipids that not only play a role in the inflammatory process, they're also active in the sebaceous glands, possibly contributing to inflammatory skin conditions, notes other past research. (9)

Some people swear by aloe to calm a sunburn. You might have experienced the gels cooling effect yourself, and according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, aloe vera is generally safe to use for soothing mild sunburns. (10) But the research backing up the claim that it can speed skin recovery is lacking.

One past small study, for instance, found aloe vera applied topically after laboratory-induced sunburn didnt have an effect on reducing redness when compared with a placebo. (11)

Although aloe vera might not be effective for treating sunburns, it may provide some relief after a first- or second-degree burn. In a review of four controlled clinical trials consisting of 371 sunburn patients, researchers found that healing times for patients who applied aloe vera to their burns was about nine days shorter than in the control group. (12)

In a pilot trial published in December 2015 in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, researchers found that a standardized aloe vera extract in a syrup helped lessen several symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including heartburn, belching, and vomiting, over a four-week period. (13)

This may be due to GERDs link to inflammation. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antioxidant and anti-ulcer properties that have been studied some in animals and patients with IBD (irritable bowel disease), as past research notes. (3,14)

A past clinical trial found drinking two tablespoons of aloe vera juice every day for two weeks helped lower the blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes. Triglyceride levels of the study participants also improved which could have additional benefit for those with diabetes: They're at an increased risk of developing heart disease, which is linked to triglyceride and cholesterol abnormalities. (15)

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What Is Aloe Vera? Benefits, Risks, Uses, and More ...