Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD
Noni, also known as Great Morinda and Indian Mulberry, has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine and healing. Juice from the Noni fruit is often used in alternative medicine and reported health benefits of Noni include: Improved skin health, decreased skin inflammation and improved wound healing. Noni is also thought to help strengthen the body and make it less prone to disease and chronic illness.
What is Noni?
Noni is a yellow fruit, about the size of a mango. It is lumpy looking, and the juice is somewhat bitter. Noni (scientific name Morinda citrifolia) grows in Southeast Asia (especially Polynesia), Australia, the Pacific Basin and the Caribbean. It is called Nono in Tahiti, and Dog Dumping in Barbados. It’s also sometimes called cheese fruit.
Health Benefits of Noni
Noni has been used for thousands of years and has been credited with having benefits against various maladies, including headaches, infections, fever and even diabetes. All parts of the Noni have been used in alternative medicine, including the fruit, leaves, roots, flowers and seeds. Noni juice contains many antioxidants, including vitamin C, which is essential for skin health and optimal immune function.
The antioxidants in Noni help your cells fight damage from free radicals. Noni juice also contains biotin and folate, essential B vitamins for the body. A diet rich in antioxidants may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
Potential Health Benefits
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Anti-bacterial
- Anti-nociceptive (pain)
- Anti-tumor
- Increased endurance
One study showed that Noni juice helped decrease blood sugar in diabetic rats and helped their wounds to heal.
Another study found that the Noni leaves had benefits against certain cancers, including cervical cancer. Noni has also been found to have antibacterial activity too, with a 2019 study supporting its effect against the MRSA bacteria. In addition to antibacterial and antioxidant activity, Noni has anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive (anti-pain) qualities which may help it play a role in fighting painful and inflammatory medical issues. Noni juice was found to help reduce the pain from arthritis in one study. Study participants took 3 oz of noni juice daily, and after 90 days were found to have decreased arthritis pain and an improved quality of life.
Another potential health benefit of Noni is an increase in your physical endurance. It’s thought that Noni might improve physical endurance because of its antioxidant properties, which may help reduce injury to your muscles that might occur during exercise. A few studies have shown that Noni may help fight fatigue and improve endurance.
Skin Health Benefits of Noni
- Increases production of collagen
- May reduce injury from UV light
If you’re looking to improve or just maintain the appearance of your skin, you should know that Noni could help benefit your skin! The natural anti-inflammatory effects of Noni might help prevent signs of skin aging such as dark spots. Noni fruit also increases the production of collagen, a key component of your skin. Noni extract may have antiwrinkle activity because of its antioxidant effect and its effect on your collagen. Don’t dump your sunscreen, but interestingly, another health benefit of Noni is that it might help prevent some damage from the sun. A 2014 study found that mice treated with Noni on their skin had less UVB damage and other signs of sun damage.
Safety of Noni
Back in the early 2000’s some people were drinking Noni juice because of its reported health benefits. Then, in 2005 there were reports of liver damage from drinking Noni juice. Now, Noni juice is widely considered safe in food amounts, and the European Food Safety Association (EFSA) pronounced in 2009 that Noni, under specified conditions, is considered safe for the general population. The EFSA did include, however, that some people may have a sensitivity to liver toxicity form Noni.
You should probably avoid Noni juice if you have any kidney or liver problems. Because Noni might interact with some medications, you should always talk to your physician before deciding to try Noni. Noni is often taken in supplement form, tea or juice. Please note, however, that some Noni juices can be high in sugar, so it’s important to read the ingredient label for additives—and if your doctor gives you the green light for Noni, use it in moderation!
Conclusions
People have used Noni in traditional medicine for thousands of years. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and appears to decrease pain and improve wound healing. It also might help benefit your skin since it can boost collagen and seems to reduce UV (sun) damage. It’s important to note that human studies on Noni are lacking, and there needs to be much more data to figure out the best uses and roles for Noni.
