Noni Juice

[Guest guest]

Say " No " to Noni?

 

A friend told me I should be drinking Noni Juice. Is it safe? Does

it live up to the claims?

-- Beverly Schuck

 

Noni Juice comes from the noni or morinda tree found in the

Polynesian islands as well as Hawaii. The tree produces a knobby,

foul-smelling fruit that has been used as a traditional remedy by

islanders, particularly as a laxative and topical application for

skin ailments.

 

Noni juice is a pricey, nasty smelling and sour tasting product

aggressively promoted through multi-level marketing as a treatment

for just about any health problem you can name:

 

cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood

pressure, arthritis, psoriasis, allergies, sinus infections,

menstrual cramps, ulcers, depression, head lice and on and on.

 

All this has resulted in $1 billion in worldwide sales for the

company that manufactures and sells Noni Juice.

 

Despite the health claims and the enthusiastic testimonials of

customers, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that Noni

Juice is an effective treatment for anything at all.

 

Although some laboratory research has demonstrated potentially

helpful effects on cancer cells, no human studies have been

conducted so we have no way of knowing if the lab findings will

translate into useful treatments for humans.

 

A researcher in Hawaii received a small grant last year from the

National Institutes of Health to conduct the first scientific study

of Noni in human cancer patients.

 

The most damage Noni Juice is likely to inflict is to your bank

account.

 

However, anyone with kidney disease should avoid it because its

high potassium content could lead to high potassium levels,

a danger when the kidneys aren't working normally.

 

While it is true that Noni has been used in traditional Hawaiian

medicine for many years, it was rarely taken internally, except as a

laxative.

 

Instead, parts of the plant were used for a poultice applied to

wounds and used to treat skin disorders.

 

You also might be interested to know that in 1998, the manufacturers

of Noni Juice were charged by the Attorneys General of Arizona,

California, New Jersey and Texas with making unfounded health claims

and were ordered to stop advertising the purported benefits until

they could provide scientific backup.

 

That hasn't happened.

 

The government of Finland has banned the sale of Noni Juice until

ads are revised eliminating unsubstantiated health claims.

 

My recommendation? Say " no " to Noni.

 

Dr. Andrew Weil