Is drinking aloe vera juice healthy? Doctors warn against dangerous TikTok trend 

The aloe vera juice trend has been sweeping thorugh TikTok over the past month, with users swearing by its properties that allegedly improve acne and gut-health by an exponential factor. The hashtag has already amassed over 16.4 million views and top creators @munch.with.momo and Bria Lemirande's videos have garnered over five million views apiece.

They recommended drinking an ounce of aloe vera juice once or twice a day. Lemirande reported that in the week and a half that she tried it, her skin "cleared up a ton" and her gut health had "never been better."

However, gastroenterologists and dermatologists are making interventions to issue warnings to those who are partaking in the trend. Several experts have weighed in on the subject and deemed the juice potentially dangerous and largely unhelpful.

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Is aloe vera juice safe to drink?

Stylist Dr Claire Shortt, Lead Scientist at Food Labs, concedes that although the drink is technically safe to consume, it comes with a few caveats: primarily, the dosage of consumption and negative side effects.

Dr. Nooshin Hosseini, MD, a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist, told Allure:

"There have been no large clinical trials to date that show a reliable benefit of aloe vera for long-term symptom relief or gastrointestinal health."

In fact, there has been contrasting research that has proven that oral doses of the plant are far from effective for gut issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

In a conversation with Buzzfeed, gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao, MD, commented on the trend:

"In my experience, aloe vera juice is not helpful — and, in some cases, can actually be harmful. It can cause deposits of melanin in the colon, a benign condition called melanosis coli."

Dr. Hosseini concurred with Dr. Rao, saying that overconsumption could lead to colorectal cancer:

"Overuse of whole leaf aloe vera juice or aloe latex as a laxative can be dangerous both in the short-term, due to fluid shifts and electrolyte disturbances, and have serious long-term effects as well, such as a potential link to colorectal cancer."

Explaining that the juice had also previously been banned due to its dubious safety, Dr. Rao added:

"Aloe vera juice was once used in over-the-counter laxatives but [in 2002], the FDA removed all laxatives containing aloe because its safety was not well established. In fact, there have been many reported cases of aloe-induced hepatitis, and even some cases of severe but non-fatal cases of liver failure."

Dr. Gary Deng, MD, claimed that the reason why so many people are rallying behind this trend is because they have convinced themselves of positive results. Sometimes people think they feel — or look — better from an alleged health claim because of the placebo effect, he said.

Speaking to Buzzfeed about its alleged skin benefits, certified dermatologist Dr. Diane Madfes, MD, shared:

"This is not a good trend, in my opinion, and aloe vera is only good for the skin when it is applied topically due to its soothing and hydrating properties."

With the antibacterial properties of urea, sulfur, and salicylic acid, it's quite evident why aloe is recommended for acne treatments. It also has a magnesium component that aids in inhibiting histamine, thus minimizing itchiness.

Dr. Madfez added:

"Overall, aloe is a natural calming agent for inflamed skin, acne, and burns. It’s great to keep a small plant on your window sill or in your kitchen but stay away from drinking it."

A majority of these doctors have also advised refraining from trying out any unverified TikTok health trends since they aren't backed by scientific evidence in most cases. It's always best to seek counsel with certified experts regarding such information.