Aloe Vera for Inner, Outer Beauty

Whether on the kitchen counter in grandma’s house or incorporated into a cosmeceutical tonic, aloe vera remains one of the most recognizable healing plants in the natural products arsenal. A member of the lily family, aloe vera has a cactus-like appearance and can be found in warm, dry climates around the globe; it is part of the healing traditions of not only India, China and Egypt, but the Native Americans and Caribbean peoples as well. Aloe vera gel is rich in bioactive compounds, including vitamins, minerals, polysaccharides, enzymes and sterols.

“Aloe vera is a medicinal plant, used traditionally and currently in a variety of ways for a variety of health-related concerns,” noted Devon Powell, executive director, International Aloe Science Council (IASC). “The most common usage has been external for the treatment of many skin ailments as well as minor wounds and burns. There have also been many purported benefits from drinking aloe juice.”

Aloe vera’s long history of use, coupled with its easily recognizable visage, have contributed to its popularity in the consumer market. “More consumers recognize aloe than any other herb,” said Bill Pine, Aloe Wholesale. “Most relate it to sunburn and other minor scrapes as a soothing treatment to relieve pain and irritation. It is no surprise, as aloe has centuries of safe use and has gained the confidence of the consumer. The surprising fact is that the vast majority of aloe is actually ingested in the form of powder or beverage.”

Powell added the versatility to be used in so many product forms is one driving force for aloe's popularity: “It can be used in an incredible array of products from juices and drinks to tissues to mattresses to tights and gloves ... all the way to drugs. The aloe market is enormous and worldwide. We estimate between 17 million and 20 million gallons are sold annually around the globe and used in a dizzying array of flavors and combinations.”

Further, rising consumer interest in cosmeceutical products or ingredients that nourish the skin from the inside out bodes well for aloe vera. “Society is just discovering that beauty is more than skin deep, and what we put in our bodies is just as important as what we put on our bodies,” said Nuryati Pangestu, research scientist – H.I.T.S.(R), WILD Flavors. “In the past, aloe has been though of as a product used mainly in topical applications, but it is now being applied to consumable products.”

Health Effects

Aloe vera exerts a range of health effects both topically and internally. “Speaking scientifically, aloe vera has been shown to help with burns and some skin issues, such as psoriasis, and is the primary ingredient regularly found in sunburn-relief products,” Powell said. “There are also some studies that have shown aloe vera has a positive effect on a wide array of stomach and gut-related issues. In fact, there is preliminary data to suggest aloe vera is useful for many medically-related reasons.”

It is perhaps easiest to look at aloe’s effects from a topical standpoint first, and then its impact internally. Jim Barton, domestic sales coordinator, Terry Labs, said he’d consider the most important topical benefit of aloe vera is the ability to regenerate skin cells. In vitro work has shown the ability of aloe vera to aid human skin fibroblast regeneration,¹ while animal studies show it may also increase the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans to modulate wound healing.²

Topical application of aloe vera has additional health effects, according to Pangestu, including treatment of burns, addressing skin conditions such as psoriasis, and reducing acne lesions. Thai researchers reported cumulative evidence suggests aloe vera might be effective in burn wound healing for first- to second-degree burns, although differences in outcome measures and products used in trials make comparisons difficult.³ Studies have also shown efficacy of aloe vera cream⁴ and gel⁵ in treating patients with psoriasis.

Jeff Barrie, Eastern regional sales manager, Aloecorp, noted while aloe vera has been considered a great skin moisturizer, there is a paucity of research substantiating the claim. “However, a recent study done in Brazil using the Aloecorp ActiveAloe ingredient showed that effect,” he said. In the study, conducted at the University of Sao Paulo, researchers applied stable formulations with 0.10 percent, 0.25 percent or 0.50 percent (w/w) of freeze-dried aloe vera extract to the forearms of 20 female subjects.⁶ After two weeks of daily application, all formulations increased the water content of the stratum corneum, with not change in transepidermal water loss (TEWL). They concluded, “Freeze-dried aloe vera extract is a natural effective ingredient for improving skin hydration, possibly through a humectant mechanism.”

Barrie noted ingested aloe vera may also exert hydrating effects on the skin. The Korean Food and Drug Administration (FDA) performed a three-month human clinical study with an unflavored aloe drink, made with Aloecorp’s Qmatrix® ACTIValoe® OS; they reported ingestion of 1.2 g/d of aloe vera could significantly decrease facial wrinkles and increase facial elasticity. “There is a big movement with inside beauty,” Barrie added, “and aloe vera fits right into that category.”

Internal consumption of aloe vera actually has many more benefits than just skin hydration. A research review out of South Africa noted that the polysaccharides contained in the leaf gel of aloe vera exert biological effects, including wound healing, anti-fungal activity, anti-diabetic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, immunomodulation and gastroprotection.⁷

One of the traditional internal uses of aloe vera was to alleviate constipation. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in its MedlinePlus database, noted “Although few studies have been conducted to assess [the laxative] effect of aloe in humans, the laxative properties of aloe components such as aloin are well supported by scientific evidence.”

Also related to digestive health, aloe vera appears to help increase the body’s uptake of other important nutrients in the diet. Researchers from the University of Scranton, Pa., examined plasma bioavailability of vitamins C and E when consumed alone or with 2 oz. of aloe vera, and found aloe could significantly improve the absorption of the vitamins and increase their retention in the plasma.⁸ Pine noted, “Based on this study, one could expect to receive more from the vitamins and minerals we all consume every day and enjoy the benefits of aloe.”

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References for "Aloe Vera for Inner, Outer Beauty"

1. Abdullah KM et al. “Effects of Aloe vera on gap junctional intercellular communication and proliferation of human diabetic and nondiabetic skin fibroblasts.” J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Oct;9(5):711-8.

2. Chithra P, Sajithlal GB, Chandrakasan G. “Influence of Aloe vera on the glycosaminoglycans in the matrix of healing dermal wounds in rats.” J Ethnopharmacol. 1998 Jan;59(3):179-86.

3. Maenthaisong R et al. “The efficacy of aloe vera used for burn wound healing: a systematic review.” Burns. 2007 Sep;33(6):713-8. Epub 2007 May 17.

4. Syed TA et al. “Management of psoriasis with Aloe vera extract in a hydrophilic cream: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study.” Trop Med Int Health. 1996 Aug;1(4):505-9.

5. Paulsen E, Korsholm L, Brandrup F. “A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of a commercial Aloe vera gel in the treatment of slight to moderate psoriasis vulgaris.” J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2005 May;19(3):326-31.

6. Dal’Belo SE et al. “Moisturizing effect of cosmetic formulations containing Aloe vera extract in different concentrations assessed by skin bioengineering techniques.” Skin Res Tech. 2006;12:241-46.

7. Hamman JH. “Composition and applications of Aloe vera leaf gel.” Molecules. 2008 Aug 8;13(8):1599-616.

8. Vinson JA, Al Kharrat H, Andreoli L. “Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E.” Phytomedicine. 2005 Nov;12(10):760-5.