Interstitial Cystitis Advice

Aloe vera has become something of a household word, popping up in a multitude of every day products from shampoos to laxatives. It's history stretching back for centuries in folk and traditional healing. Interestingly, in recent years aloe has come into light as an alternative (or additional) treatment for IC.

The origins of aloe (a member of the lily family of plants) can be traced back to Africa, and today over 200 different species are known to exist. The thick leaves of the aloe plant have a high moisture content and natural ability to retain water, which allows the plant to survive during periods of drought.

Speculation abounds as to the effectiveness of aloe vera, some scoff at it, others are cautiously sceptical and others believe it is firmly. Mainstream medicine is beginning to investigate the potential abilities of aloe, and try to discover to what extend aloe may be beneficial. Aloe vera is commonly broken down into two main products: gel and juice also known as latex.

Aloe vera gel is extracted from the inner leaves (known as the parenchymal tissue). It is a pulpy clear substance that contains carbohydrate polymers including pectic acid and glucomannans, in addition to many other compounds. Aloe vera gel consists of approximately 99.3% water, the remaining 0.7% contains the polymers as well as amino acids. The gel has a cool, pleasant feeling on the skin due to its high moisture content and as such it is the part of the plant that is used in topical preparations. As a drink, aloe gel is thought to help protect damaged/inflamed/irritated internal mucous membranes.

The aloe juice or latex comes from just beneath the outermost skin of the leaves. Yellow in colour and somewhat bitter to the taste, aloe juice is often dried into dark brown granules (the colour change occurs as the aloe is exposed to oxygen). Mainstream medicine's most common use of aloe latex is in laxatives (used in this way aloe vera is sometimes referred to as aloe Rx). In general aloe vera laxatives are considered quite a harsh stimulant, so use with caution, and as directed by your physician.

As well aloe vera contains high levels of Vitamin C and E. It is also one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin B-12. Aloe vera contains six known antiseptic agents (salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, phenols, phenols, sulfur, and salicylic acid) and three anti-inflammatory fatty acids (cholesterol, B-sitosterol, and campersterol).

One can go into almost any supplement aisle or health food store and find a bevy of aloe vera products staring them in the face. Some are virtually pure aloe, others have ingredient rap sheets a mile long. Commercially prepared aloe is not always properly separated and latex can sometimes be found mixed in with the gel. Try to find as pure a gel as possible as the laxative properties of the latex my produce undesired results!

Be cautious of where you buy your aloe products, many online sources are little more than scams. If you do want to try taking aloe vera for your IC it is wise to speak with your doctor(s) first.

Through out history – Cleopatra was said to use it - aloe has been used as a topical treatment for minor burns (including sun burns), wounds, and a host of skin irritations and problems. Aloe gel has also been taken internally for use with numerous stomach and GI tract inflictions. As with the majority of plant "cures" one must take the effectiveness aloe vera with a grain of speculative salt. Especially where internal consumption is concerned. It's worth noting that aloe can be taken internally as a medical supplement but it has yet to receive FDA approval as a drug, and in fact injection (an obscure practise in the treatment of some times of cancer) of aloe vera is illegal in the United States.

So how does aloe tie into Interstitial Cystitis? As aloe (taken internally) has been used with some success in the treatment of inflammation based stomach problems (and other conditions) it stands to reason that it could be of benefit to IC patients. One company in particular has immerged as the leader in this area of research, Dessert Harvest Aloe Vera.

This company uses whole leaf aloe vera to produce capsules that have shown to be helpful in reducing IC symptoms of the bladder like frequency, pain, and burning. In Rockville, Maryland a double-blind study carried out by the Urology Wellness Center showed that 87.5% of the patients in their study had at least some overall improvement in their IC symptoms whilst taking Dessert Harvest aloe vera. In fact 50% of these patients noted significant relief of their symptoms, and only one patient did not respond at all during the 6 months of study (for 3 months the patients where given a placebo identical in appearance and texture to the aloe vera capsules, for the other 3 months they received the genuine aloe vera).

Another method of taking aloe vera is to simply drink juice derived from the gel. In my discussions with other IC patients I have found only a few people who have success with this, but of those who have many swear by it. The problem may lie in the fact that many brands of aloe vera drinks are preserved with high levels of citric acid – a known bladder irritant, as well many contain fillers and other potentially bladder bothersome ingredients. If you do opt for the aloe vera juice (drink, not the latex) try to find as pure a drink as possible.

According to Desert harvest "Whole leaf aloe vera from the whole plant--with no additives, no fillers, and no heat treatment--has been proven to be the most effective type of aloe for treating interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, and pelvic pain."

It is theorized that aloe vera (when processed properly) may work somewhat like the IC drug Elmiron, by protecting the damaged inner bladder lining. Unlike Elmiron aloe rarely has negative side effects (please note though that about one percent of the pollution is allergic to aloe), plus when used in whole leaf form it is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antibiotic, and mild analgesic.

A few physicians (such as Dr. Susan McSherry from New Orleans) are even experimenting with the use of aloe vera instilled directly into the bladder in a bladder wash, and having some success with aloe used in this way.

It is apparent that aloe vera deserves further investigative research. Debates rage as to which part of the plant is "better" and how to properly use aloe, but what stands out is that this plant is thoroughly worth exploring as a potential aid in the treatment of IC.