Effects of Intake of Milk Enriched with Aloe vera on Patients with Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease

Abstract

Background: Aloe vera has been used by many\rcivilizations throughout history due to the numerous properties attributed.\rGastro oesophageal reflux disease is a common disorder with consequences for\rthe patient’s health related quality of life. Aims: The purpose of this study\rwas to assess the benefits of the Aloe\rvera in 80 patients with gastro oesophageal reflux. Methods: This is\rprobably the first randomised and double-blind trail ever performed on this subject. The study included eight\rweeks of treatment with milk enriched with Aloe\rvera or placebo. Data of diet (frequency questionnaire), symptoms\r(gastrointestinal symptom rating scale) and quality of life (quality of life in\rreflux and disease) were obtained. Results: So far, there has been hardly any\rproof that Aloe vera decreases\rsymptoms of reflux disease; on the contrary, a lower percentage of remission of\rpain is observed among the Aloe vera group. As long as its effectiveness has not been proven properly, the use of Aloe vera in reflux disease cannot be\rrecommend. Conclusion: Aloe vera does\rnot have a beneficial effect on reflux disease under the study conditions.