Is Drinking Aloe Vera Juice Good for You? Here Are 8 Health Benefits That You Should Know

Have you ever cut open a leaf from an aloe vera plant and rubbed the cool gel on a sunburn? It’s a traditional home remedy that’s been used for centuries to treat minor wounds and burns. 

Aloe vera can also be used as a beverage. Reported benefits of aloe vera juice include soothing digestive issues like constipation and helping with blood sugar management. 

But is aloe vera juice actually good for you? Let’s examine the evidence.

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What is aloe vera juice?

Aloe vera juice is made from the thick, gel-like inside of aloe vera plants. Aloe vera gel is mixed with water and sold commercially as aloe vera juice. 

Aloe vera juice uses

Aloe vera has many medicinal uses, especially since it can be applied directly to skin or taken orally (by mouth). It was traditionally used for skin conditions, as well as to heal wounds and help with hair loss. Aloe vera’s topical uses include:

• Treating burns

• Reducing redness and swelling

• Relieving certain side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, like rashes and itchy skin

Aloe vera juice and other oral forms of the plant are also marketed to help with:

• Diabetes management

• Weight loss

• Hepatitis

• Inflammatory bowel disease

But not all of these uses have been backed by evidence, which we’ll cover in more detail below.

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Potential benefits of drinking aloe vera juice

There are some potential benefits to drinking aloe vera juice, but more research is needed. Aloe vera juice isn’t an official treatment for the following conditions and may not even help with symptoms for some people. Always talk to a healthcare professional before adding aloe vera juice as a treatment option. They can help you figure out the best treatment plan for you. 

Here’s what the science says about eight of aloe vera juice’s purported benefits.

1. Laxative effect

There’s an established laxative effect from aloe vera, mostly from the middle layer of the aloe leaves, known as the latex. This is the part of the plant that contains the anthraquinones (organic plant compounds) known as aloin, which are likely responsible for the laxative effect.

If you’re looking for a juice to help ease constipation and work as a mild laxative, choose one that’s made from aloe vera gel plus the latex (often called “whole leaf”). Read labels to know for sure, or ask your pharmacist.

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2. Digestion aid

Lab studies have found aloe vera gel and juice contain anti-inflammatory fatty acids that may improve digestion. These substances may help regulate the smooth functioning of the colon, small intestines, and stomach. 

That said, it’s unclear whether aloe vera is effective for people with certain digestive conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). One small study found that people with IBS who took aloe vera juice saw more improvement in their symptoms than those who took a placebo. But other trials found conflicting results.

3. Heartburn aid

There’s not much research on aloe vera juice for heartburn. Much more research is needed.

One small study looked at the effects of aloe vera syrup on almost 100 people. Those who used aloe vera syrup once a day had heartburn symptom relief. This relief was like those who took prescription heartburn medications. 

4. Lower blood sugar levels

Past studies found some evidence that aloe vera may help lower blood sugar and high cholesterol levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. But larger studies are needed to know for sure.

One recent study showed that aloe vera may improve blood sugar levels. But the evidence was limited. More research is needed before any concrete recommendations can be made.

5. Nutritious properties

Pure aloe vera juice has some nutritional and antioxidant properties. A cup of plain aloe vera juice has roughly 40 calories. The health value of aloe vera juice lies in its more than 200 active ingredients that come from the plant, including:

• Anthraquinones (substances that help to stimulate the bowels)

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Enzymes

• Amino acids

• Natural sugars

• Fatty acids

Some commercial brands of aloe vera juice contain sugar to add a twist on the slightly natural bitter taste. Make sure to check the labels to see how much sugar your beverage contains. Some contain as much sugar as soda.

6. Oral and dental health

One study looked at research on the use of aloe vera in dental practice. They found that aloe vera may help with the following oral conditions:

• Oral lichen planus

• Oral submucous fibrosis

• Recurrent aphthous stomatitis

• Radiation-induced oral mucositis

• Gingivitis

• Periodontitis

• Alveolar osteitis

Aloe vera may also help to limit the bacteria that cause cavities. Data in all of these conditions is limited. But aloe vera preparations didn’t seem to have any significant side effects. Not all of the studies use aloe vera juice. Gels and other topical preparations were also used. 

7. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

In one study, oral aloe vera showed improvement in ulcers and inflammation in people with ulcerative colitis. There were no negative side effects at the maximum recommended dosage of 100 mL twice a day. People who took aloe vera showed improvement in their overall symptoms, while those in the placebo group didn’t. But further studies are needed to figure out the effects at higher doses of aloe vera.

8. Antifungal

Aloe vera has a long history of being used to treat various fungal infections, from oral thrush to skin conditions like ringworm. But there’s very few studies in people to validate these claims. Some studies have been done in the lab that show that aloe vera can slow fungus growth as effectively as antifungal medications. The antifungal effects of aloe vera may be due to a protein in the aloe vera leaf. 

How much aloe vera juice should you drink?

It’s hard to say exactly how much aloe vera juice you should drink. The food industry has established an upper limit of 10 parts per million (or ppm) of aloin in ingested aloe products such as juice. But bottles don’t have to say how much aloin is in them. This makes it hard to know how much you’re actually consuming.

Aloe vera has been approved by the FDA as a food additive, but food-grade aloe hasn’t been tested as a medical or therapeutic agent. As such, aloe vera juice remains unregulated. This means there’s no guarantee of strength, purity, or safety when you buy this product. 

Each bottle may contain a different amount of aloe gel, latex, or aloin. There’s very little data on the levels of aloin in consumer aloe products, but most liquids have less than 1 ppm. This also makes it tricky to know how much to drink for a laxative effect. 

What are the side effects of aloe vera juice?

Since aloe has a laxative effect, you shouldn’t drink too much at once. Drinking too much might cause: 

• Stomach pain or cramps

• Diarrhea

• Low potassium levels

• Kidney failure

• Hypersensitive skin reactions 

Does aloe vera juice cause cancer?

It’s not likely that small amounts of aloe vera juice cause cancer. But some research says whole aloe vera leaf extract might possibly cause cancer. This means there’s a small amount of research linking it to cancer, but it’s far from conclusive. 

Most of the studies have been conducted in mice and rats rather than in humans. And limited data showed that whole leaf aloe caused tumors in rats. We need more research on people to know if there’s really a risk.

Who should not drink aloe vera juice?

You shouldn’t drink aloe vera juice if you:

• Are allergic to aloe or related plants

• Are pregnant, as aloe may stimulate uterine contractions, which could increase the risk of premature labor or miscarriage

• Are nursing, as the aloin may cause diarrhea in infants

• Have a known liver or kidney condition 

Aloe vera may also interfere with certain medications, such as some heart and diabetes medications. Talk to your healthcare professional or pharmacist before taking aloe to make sure it’s safe for you.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Cara Rosenbloom, RD

Cara Rosenbloom, RD, has been a registered dietitian for 22 years. She began her career working as a dietitian at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Reviewed by:

Frank Schwalbe, MD

Frank Schwalbe, MD, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at the Yale School of Medicine. He has practiced anesthesiology for 30 years.

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