Mangosteen (continuation)

 Well if many of the claims about mangosteen are to be believed, there is not much it cannot do or heal. As of yet, it has not been reported to bring about world peace but maybe that will be the next marketing strategy!

What you need to realise is that most of the spurious claims about mangosteen are, as of yet, unproven. There has been scientific research performed but only at a base level and the actual benefit of mangosteen to human physiology is widely debated.

There is no doubt that mangosteen contains many chemicals and compounds that are known to be beneficial in certain circumstances and exocarp/pericarp has been used for medicinal purposes by the people of Southeast Asia for centuries.

In those countries, the Mangosteen plant is used to cure various ailments but is known best for its antibiotic, anti-viral and anti-inflamatory properties. They have relied on the plant for a long time, so maybe there is some truth in this.

But what about the modern day claims by the western marketer that it cures obesity and promotes cardio-vascular health?

Mangosteen is typically advertised and marketed as part of an emerging category of novel functional foods sometimes called "superfruits". There is big money in this market and sales are growing at an exponential rate. the discovery of a "new" superfruit is a veritable goldmine for the health suppliment industry.

Recent scientific research showed that Mangosteen may provide beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and thrombosis. Reports in professional journals such as Free Radical Research and the Journal of Pharmacology, stated that research into xanthones had shown them to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health.

It appears that xanothones could be useful for someone already suffering from a current cardio-vascular condition, this though, does not necessarily facilitate that mangosteen juice would be advantageous. Although mangosteen rind contains high levels of xanothones it is unclear what concentration of those actually makes it into the juice products themselves.

Reading numerous medical reports into mangosteen juice it is widely suggested that in order to benefit from the medicinal properties of xanothones, you would have to drink large quantities of the liquid over a lengthy period of time.

Furthermore, a possible adverse effect may occur from chronic consumption of mangosteen juice containing xanthones. A 2008 medical case report described a patient with severe acidosis possibly attributable to a year of daily use (to lose weight, dose not described) of mangosteen juice infused with xanthones. This report proposed that chronic exposure to alpha-mangostin, a xanthone, could be toxic to mitochondrial function,leading to impairment of cellular respiration and production of lactic acidosis.

As far as mangosteen juice being a miracle cure for obesity, there has been research into its effects on low density lipoptrotein cholesterol i.e. "bad cholesterol". So far, the results have been inconclusive. Yet again, any potential positive action would involve drinking a potentially unhealthy amount of the juice.

Conclusion

Xanothones are undoubtably strong antioxidants, that is an undeniable. The fact that mangosteen juice contains these would strongly suggest that it too, has antioxidant properties - at what level is unclear.

With this in mind it is probably safe to say that having a glass of mangosteen juice a day would be a good thing - apart from the stated antioxidant qualities, as a fruit it will undoubtably also contain numerous vitamins. Consuming the juice in sensible quantities certainly won't do any harm.

The thing is this - is it actually any better than drinking one of the other cheaper and more readily available "superfruits", like blueberry, cranberry, pomegranite or pineapple?

The companies selling the product would certainly like you to believe so, after all, it costs considerably more money! But the evidence is still not satisfactory to assert their claims.While non-Japanese companies like XanGo have been marketing mangosteen puree blends for several years now, cost factors have effectively made it a luxury product for most people.

For now the companies selling the product are relying on advertising its exclusivity, exotic nature and the fact it is a recent "new" discovery. Plus famousous people drink it, so it must be good!

But does mangosteen's proposed cure-all properties outweight it's inflated market price? Only you can truly decide that by purchasing it or not - but I would advice some healthy scepticism!