CLINICAL TRIAL

A CLINICAL TRIAL USING AN ALOE VERA GEL DRINK FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Forever Living Products, the UK’s leading supplier of Aloe Vera products has announced the results of what is recognized as the first randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind, clinical trial for Ulcerative Colitis ever to be undertaken in the UK, using a herbal approach in the form of an Aloe Vera drink.

The trial, involved 44 patients who suffered with the serious inflammatory bowel disease, Ulcerative Colitis. The trial was designed to test the effects of Aloe Vera (in this case Forever Living Product’s Aloe Vera Gel drink) on this potentially life threatening condition. It was set up so neither the prescribing doctor(s) nor the patient(s) were aware as to whether they were using the real Aloe Vera gel or a placebo. The trial, instigated by Dr. David Rampton, a Professor in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Royal London Hospital, used volunteers from two major teaching hospitals - The Royal London Hospital in Lambeth and The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Professor Rampton’s conclusion was:

“Oral Aloe Vera taken for 4 weeks produces a clinical response more often than a placebo and it also improves histological disease activity (the histological disease refers to what is seen under the microscope when a biopsy is examined) and appears to be safe. These encouraging results suggest that further evaluation of the therapeutic potential of Aloe Vera drink in inflammatory bowel disease is warranted.”

The trial was completed in January 2004 and three different criteria were used to measure the results. Clinical improvement occurred in an average of 38% of patients given the active Aloe Vera Gel, as opposed to an average of 8% of patients on the placebo.

Forever Living Products Aloe Vera Gel drink used in the clinical trial.

WHY ALOE VERA?

Aloe Vera is a very nutritious drink containing 75 known ingredients such as Vitamins (including B12), Minerals, Enzymes and Amino acids. It is the synergy of these ingredients which makes it powerful. Because it is easily absorbed it is very useful for IBD sufferers, who often report having more energy.
Aloe Vera has an anti-inflammatory property due to it's plant sterols and some of it's enzymes. This property alone would make it worth drinking for IBD but it has an another possibly more important property in that it has been proven to be an Immune system modulator; ie it normalises peoples' immune systems whether they are over-active or under-active. This means that it has the ability to improve one of the possible root causes of IBD, immune system problems.

"Nothing can cure you of a health problem, only the Doctor inside you - your Immune System".

There are lots more properties which can be found in my booklet but it is important to note that not everyone gets the same level of benefit from drinking Aloe Vera.
Aloe Vera has many names such as 'Medicine Plant', 'Silent Healer' but the one I like is 'The Miracle Plant' because that is how I feel about it and it's why I chose it for my website Logo!

Contact us at The Natural Help Centre for IBD