Nutrients & Health
Mangosteen: The Science Behind the Hype
There has been a lot of talk and aggressive marketing lately with 
mangosteen juice and mangosteen supplements. One website claims, “Mangosteen testimonials abound with people using our product to cure themselves of cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, ulcers, cancer, psoriasis….” And the list goes on. What’s the science behind the hype?
Mangosteen is a fruit grown in Thailand and Myanmar. The flesh is sweet and creamy, with a touch of peach flavor. The rind (the mangosteen pericarp) and flesh contain substances called xanthones, mainly garcinol and mangostin.
Laboratory studies are slowly revealing interesting properties of mangosteen fruit. Xanthones exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor activity. Laboratory testing thus far indicates that extracts of mangosteen have activity against several cancer cell lines, including breast, liver and leukemia. Xanthones also appear to have antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties.
Mangosteen is sold mostly as dried powder in capsules, usually consisting of 500 mg. Mangosteen is also sold as juice, most often combined with other juices. There are dozens of companies that sell mangosteen juice, and each of them will mix it with a different blend of fruits and have a different concentration of xanthones.
Human trials are not available regarding mangosteen juice or mangosteen supplements, so we still have a lot to learn. Until then, I can’t see any harm in drinking an ounce or two of mangosteen juice a day or taking a mangosteen supplement a few times a week or month.
[Ed. Note: Ray Sahelian, M.D. is a practicing physician and best-selling author. He is a leading authority on natural supplements and nutrition. For the latest research on organic ways to improve your health and well-being, click here to learn more.]
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