9 Health benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a medicinal plant and it has antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Benefits of aloe vera may include reducing dental plaque, speeding up wound healing, preventing wrinkles, and managing blood sugar.  Aloe vera is a strong plant with a short stem that stores water in its leaves. It is best known for treating skin injuries, but it has several other uses that could potentially benefit health.

In this blog, I will tell you about nine potential health benefits of aloe vera. It also covers some risks.

How to use Aloe vera

Aloe vera can come in a variety of forms, including a topical gel or ointment, can be used raw, or even consumed as a liquid.

Benefits of Aloe vera

1. healthy plant compounds

Aloe vera is known for its thick, pointed, fleshy green leaves that can grow to about 12–19 inches (30–50 centimeters) in length.

Each leaf contains a slimy tissue that stores water, making the leaves thick. This water-filled tissue is the "gel" that people associate with aloe vera products. The gel contains most of the beneficial bioactive compounds in the plant, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants.

2. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties

Antioxidants are important for health. Aloe vera gel contains powerful antioxidants that belong to a large group of substances known as polyphenols. These polyphenols, along with several other compounds in aloe vera, help inhibit the growth of certain bacteria that can cause infections in humans.

Aloe vera is known for its antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic properties. This is one of the reasons why it can help heal wounds and treat skin problems.

3. Wound healing

People most often use aloe vera as a topical remedy, rubbing it on their skin rather than consuming it. In fact, it has a long history of use in the treatment of ulcers, and especially burns, including sunburn. The United States Pharmacopeia described aloe vera preparations as a skin protectant as early as 1810–1820. Studies indicate that it is an effective topical treatment for first and second degree burns.

4. Reduce dental plaque

Tooth decay and gum disease are very common health problems. One of the best ways to prevent these conditions is to limit the buildup of plaque or bacterial biofilms on the teeth. A 2021 study concluded that aloe vera mouthwash is an effective natural alternative to chemically formulated mouthwashes.  Aloe vera gel is also effective in killing the yeast found in the mouth known as Candida albicans.

5. Help heal canker sores

Many people experience mouth sores or ulcers at some point in their lives. These usually form under the lip, inside the mouth, Studies have shown that aloe vera treatment can speed the healing of mouth ulcers.

For example, a 2022 review of nine randomized controlled trials concluded that aloe vera treatment can speed the healing of mouth ulcers better than other interventions. It also offers a shorter healing time. In another older study, aloe vera gel not only accelerated the healing of mouth ulcers, but also reduced the pain associated with them.

6. Reduces constipation

Aloe vera is the best compound to reduce constipation. This time it's the latex, not the gel, that provides the benefits. Latex is the sticky yellow residue present just below the skin of the leaf.

7.  Improve skin and prevent wrinkles

There is preliminary evidence to suggest that topical aloe vera gel may slow skin aging. In a 2009 study of 30 women over the age of 45, oral use of aloe vera gel increased collagen production and improved skin elasticity over a 90-day period. Reviews also suggest that aloe vera could help skin retain moisture and improve skin integrity, which could benefit dry skin.

8. Lower your blood sugar

People sometimes use aloe vera as a remedy for diabetes. This is because it can increase insulin sensitivity and help improve blood sugar control.  Indeed, a 2021 review concluded that there is moderate to high quality evidence in favor of the effects of aloe vera in patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. However, the quality of these existing studies is not ideal, so scientists do not currently recommend using aloe vera for this purpose.

9. Potentially promotes hair growth

Aloe vera's hair benefits have been studied primarily in relation to seborrheic dermatitis, a skin condition that causes a reddish rash with crusty, yellow-white scales, usually on the face and scalp. One older study showed that aloe vera significantly reduced itching, scaling, and the size of the affected area in patients with this condition.