Aloe vera is a famous Ayurvedic medicine known to cure a lot of diseases. It is beneficial for hair, skin and other health problems.
Aloe vera is made up of gel and latex, which is used for the production of various medicines, cosmetics, and other essential products.
It is true that aloe vera juice is hugely beneficial, but it has side effects too. If it benefits the hair and skin, it can have reverse effects also. Excess consumption of aloe vera juice can irritate the skin and lead to allergy.
Side effects of Aloe Vera Juice
Aloe Vera is a wonder herb because of the benefits it bears. Nevertheless, here you will get an insight into the side effects of aloe vera juice:
1) Diarrhea
Consuming aloe vera juice too much can be irritable for stomach cramping and diarrhea. Diarrhea is one of the most common side effects of aloe vera juice which occurs due to the presence of cathartic laxative known as anthraquinone.
Diarrhea caused by excessive aloe vera juice can lead to dehydration which may cause electrolyte imbalance. Drinking too much of aloe vera juice can cause a lowered level of potassium. To maintain the electrolyte imbalance, you may eat the apple, rice, and banana.
2) Constipation
It is said that consuming aloe vera juice helps in regular bowel movement, but if the limit of drinking it exceeds, you may suffer from constipation.
Apart from triggering diarrhea, drinking too much of aloe vera juice can cause other digestive disorders also. The digestive disorders are caused due to the presence of laxative.
Laxatives help to improve the bowel movement but for a shorter period. Regular consumption may cure it, but once the use is stopped, you can suffer from painful constipation.
3) Drug Interaction
Too much of consumption aloe vera juice may have severe effects on health. Due to the laxative property, aloe vera juice induces the absorption of various drugs in the body. This will decrease the impact that the different diabetic medicines will have on the patients.
This can also lead to reduced potassium levels in the body if the juice is consumed with water pills or diuretics. When you start drinking aloe vera juice, you should always keep a check on it. If you feel that aloe vera juice has certain side effects on the body, you should consult a doctor.
4) Lowers Blood Glucose Level
Aloe vera juice consumption helps in maintaining the blood sugar level of the body. But it is not so, excessive consumption of aloe vera juice may lead to the reduction of sugar or glucose level in the blood.
Many doctors and health professionals recommend that the person suffering from hypoglycemia should avoid it. Hypoglycaemic patients and people who take any blood sugar controlling like metformin or insulin should consult a doctor before consuming aloe vera juice.
Excess of aloe vera juice can be harmful to the health of patients suffering from lowered glucose level.
5) Topical Reaction
Usage of aloe vera can prove to be dangerous sometimes because of the slight side effects of it. Using too much of aloe vera juice on the skin for a prolonged period, it can cause allergy on the skin. There can be developing symptoms such as hives or rash.
Studies have been lacking and stated that topical aloe might reduce bedsores, heals wounds and reduces skin damage from cancer radiation.
According to MedlinePlus, aloe vera juice consumption is still a different issue for the treatment of bedsores. The health experts are yet not sure if it is an effective or not.
6) Thyroid Dysfunction
Aloe vera juice can prove to be harmful to the thyroid patients as it becomes a hindrance to the absorption of medications for thyroid. The symptoms may increase, and the disease will become even severe. Doctors say that drinking aloe vera juice has a direct connection to thyroid problems.
7) Toxicity of Liver
Studies show that too much consumption of aloe vera juice can ultimately lead to liver inflammation. Aloe vera leads to inflammation of the liver and also interferes with the detoxification of liver because of the presence of bioactive compounds.
The aloe vera’s interference in detoxification process leads to complications in the people because of the problems that it causes to the liver.
As per a Korean study, excessive consumption of aloe vera juice can lead to hepatotoxicity. One more study explains that aloe vera juice ingestion leads to the liver damage.
8) Weakness of Muscle
Excess of aloe vera juice consumption is also associated with muscle cramping and other issues related to muscles. The latex present in aloe vera juice is said to be the major cause of muscle weakness.
As per Chinese study, aloe vera juice consumption is one of the most common reasons why individuals undergo muscle weakness. It can also lead to muscle cramps and severe pain in joints. Therefore, including an excess of aloe vera juice can be harmful to the body.
9) Kidney Failure
Well, many may not notice but drinking too much of aloe vera juice can lead to kidney failure. Aloe vera can combine with few of the medicines in the body and lead to the increase of certain diseases, kidney disease being one of them.
Studies have also shown that drinking excess of aloe vera juice can cause significant kidney injuries, which may prove to be fatal. Therefore, doctors suggest that people who suffer from any kidney problem should refrain from consuming the high quantity of aloe vera juice.
As per one Indian study report, an individual died of renal failure due to excess intake of herbal remedies. He consumed the remedy in excess which proved fatal for him. The primary ingredient of that herbal remedy which the individual consumed was aloe vera.
Aloe vera juice is related to fatal consequences because of the presence of latex in it. Since it has high laxative property, it eventually leads to renal failure and other severe consequences.
10) Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Drinking aloe vera juice during pregnancy can be harmful to the health of the baby and the mother. The presence of latex can be harmful to the health.
However, the topical use aloe vera is not much restricted but using it internally is discouraged by a lot of health professionals. According to some sources, too much of aloe vera intake can cause uterine contractions which may eventually lead to complications in pregnancy.
It is yet not sure, if along with breast milk, the aloe vera latex is excreted in it, this can be harmful to health. Therefore, internal usage of aloe vera juice is strictly restricted.
11) Irregular Heartbeat
Many studies have shown that too much consumption of aloe vera juice can eventually cause an irregular heartbeat.
Aloe vera juice is said to be rich in latex and has potassium level decreasing properties that may lead to heart diseases. It may increase the symptoms of hypertension eventually leading to an irregular heartbeat.
Apart from renal failure and kidney diseases, excess consumption of aloe vera juice can also cause heart diseases which may prove fatal to the individual. Therefore, for people suffering heart diseases, aloe vera juice consumption is strictly restricted.
12) Bad Effects on Skin
It is a known fact that aloe vera juice and gel can be beneficial for the skin, but an excess of it can be highly dangerous.
Excessive aloe vera juice on the skin can have allergic reactions and lead to severe itching. It may arise hypersensitive reactions.
It is believed that aloe vera juice helps to cure rashes, heal wounds and sunburn but too much of it can have a counter effect and lead to severe major issues. If aloe vera juice is applied to the skin after dermabrasion, it can cause a severe sensation of burning.
13) Dehydration
Many doctors recommend to drink aloe vera juice to cure a lot of digestive disorders, but it should be kept in mind that excess consumption of it can lead to dehydration. Aloe vera has laxative property because of which dehydration is caused.
As per a report, aloe vera juice consumption should be strictly avoided by patients suffering from dehydration as it will only lead to severe complications.
Dehydration in some cases eventually leads to death, so if the situation becomes more complicated, drinking too much of aloe vera juice can also prove to be fatal for the people.
Final Thoughts
Aloe vera juice consumption is beneficial for health, but it has its side effects too which in some cases prove to be fatal. Therefore, you should consider to take it in moderation.
Also, aloe vera juice should be strictly avoided by people who have diabetes, Crohn’s disease and other intestinal disorders, hemorrhoids and kidney problems. Always, talk with your doctor first before adding it to your diet.
People can be allergic to aloe vera, so it should be avoided if the person is also prone to allergy by garlic, tulip and even onions.
This may be hard to accept, but aloe vera does have some serious side effects which should be avoided.