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A quick review of the Xango website, the leading supplier of mangosteen juice reveals some amazing, almost miraculous claims in the testimonial section. Amazon reveals a similar pattern of happy customers who claim everything from anti-inflammatory mangosteen benefits to anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and anti-bacterial properties. Oh, and they feel less pain in their back. Can't forget that one.
But how do the capsules fare compared to a good mangosteen juice? This article explores the available research, reviews the key criteria for a good mangosteen juice, and identifies key properties of effective mangosteen capsules.
The Secret of Mangosteen
If you are new to the mangosteen health revival, the secret is in the rind of this amazing fruit. The fruit itself is tasty, in fact the thing of legends as Queen Victoria is alleged to have said that she would pay dearly for fresh mangosteen. Okay, it's good. We got that. But scientists have found that the key healing properties such as the xanthones and other important phytonutrients are in the rind or peeling.
That's why the high quality mangosteen juices puree the whole fruit. Xango and some other juice producers add in other juices for taste while the Mangosteen 100 does not. It's pure mangosteen juice puree. But what does that have to do with capsules?
Mangosteen Extract in a Capsule
Anciently, the peel was sun-dried and ground into a power. This power was taken orally as a tea, paste or added to other food for a variety of bowel and other internal diseases. So clearly the rind plays a vital role in delivering health benefits to those who consume it.
Modern research has concentrated on the xanthones found in the rind. A review of PubMed (repository of medical publications) on the word "mangosteen" or it's scientific name "garcinia mangostana" and you'll see hundreds of studies. Typically the clinical study will isolate a type of xanthones and how it reacted with tumor growth, inflammation, or other ailment in laboratory studies. The xanthones is extracted from the rind either through a drying process like the ancients did or other means of isolating the xanthones they are studying. Mangosteen has over 40 types of xanthones. Clearly, the healing benefits are in the rind.
Research excerpts are as follows:
- " potent chemopreventive effects in our short-term colon carcinogenesis bioassay system suggests that longer exposure might result in suppression of tumor development."
- " exhibited strong inhibitory effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis."
- "can stimulate phagocytic cells and kill intracellular bacteria."
- "showed good inhibitory activity against the three fungi"
No wonder doctors such as Dr. J. Frederic Templeton are using mangosteen extract (capsules) as a first-line therapy for conditions that include eczema, arthritis, irritable bowel disease, fatigue, depression, and a host of other ailments. Like the locals who use to use the sun-dried mangosteen rind for internal use, so does Dr. Templeton. Extract means that they have captured the rind in power form and are taking it orally. That's good enough for me.
Juice or Capsule? Personally speaking, I take both. Good mangosteen extract capsules are relatively inexpensive ($10 for 60) and the juice has greater bio-availability. I don't view it as a question of "either or" but getting the most benefit I can from this amazing fruit.
