Say Hello To Aloe For Your Bones

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Nutrition

Evidence-Based
3 min Read

I love doing yard work. It not only gives me an excuse to take a break and enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine; I also find it relaxing and rewarding.

A couple of years ago I’ve planted a lemon tree on my front lawn, along with a fragrant Confederate jasmin. In my backyard, there’s a thorny raspberry bush and a miniature mango tree that I planted a few years ago.

My patio is decorated with two beautiful pineapple plants and – my absolute favorite – a large thriving aloe. You probably know that aloe is a lot more than just a decorative plant. Besides offering effective sunburn-relief, it has tons of nutrients that can help you build your bones.

A Plethora of Foundation Supplements

Aloe vera is alkalizing and its gel is rich in vitamins and minerals. Here’s a snapshot of the Foundation Supplements it contains. Get ready, because there’s a whole lot of them!

Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, choline, and Vitamin C.

Minerals: Calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Besides the amazing array of micronutrients, a study conducted on humans published in the Phytomedicine journal has shown that aloe gels:

“…Improve the absorption of both vitamins C and E. The absorption is slower and the vitamins last longer in the plasma with the Aloes.”1

Both these multitasking vitamins are valuable bone-building partners. You can read more about them in my recent blog posts titled ‘New Study: Is Vitamin E Linked to Osteoporosis?' and ‘How Much Vitamin C Should You Take for Your Bones?'.

More Nutrients, More Health Benefits

Aloe vera gel also contains Vitamins A and E, plus the minerals selenium, potassium, and chromium. Also, a wide variety of anti-inflammatory compounds that boost collagen growth and the immune system plus block the production of certain irritants are present in the gel. Aloe gel is rich in digestive enzymes and lignins, the latter allowing the gel to penetrate deep into the skin layers, helping to heal wounds and burns, and soothing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

And I bet you your doctor never told you this: Aloe gel naturally contains salicylic acid – albeit in rather small amounts – so it’s Nature’s own aspirin. While studies have shown that synthetically manufactured aspirin increases urinary excretion of Vitamin C by as much as 50% – thus reducing Vitamin C plasma levels – as I mentioned earlier, Aloe gel actually enhances its bioavailability.2

Till next time,

References

1 Vinson J.A. et al. “Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E.” Phytomedicine. 2005 Nov;12(10):760-5.
2 Basu T.K. “Vitamin C-aspirin interactions.” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research Supplement. 1982;23:83-90.