By MyQute.com

Reading Supplements to Watch, I could not help but feel that the Noni Juice is such a misunderstood drink. Since many people are still drinking Noni Juice, the question “Is Noni Juice Snake Oil?” remains much of a hassle for most. So, I’ve dug up some info on Noni Juice because I want to be sure I am not missing out something.

In Hawaii, the foul cheese-smelling juice that is known as the Noni Juice comes from the Morinda Citrifolia plant. In Guam, the juice is referred to as “Lada”. In Tahiti, they call it “Nono”. Alternative names for the Noni Juice include “Morinda”, “Indian Mulberry”, “Hog Apple”, “Meng Koedoe”, “Mora De La India”, “Ruibarbo Caribe” and “Wild Pine”.

Most makers of Tahitian Noni Juice pride themselves on using non-reactive glass bottles, so no harmful chemicals from plastic can ever contaminate the juice.

The 13 Questions about Noni Juice

If you know the answer, please comment and I will update this post (thanks in advance!)

1. Is the Noni Juice additive-free and also free from further fortifications from other juices? In other words, is the Noni Juice high-quality enough in its wholesome form without the need to add juices from other fruits like blueberries and the acai berries?

2. Are these sugar added to the otherwise potentially healthy Noni Juice: Fructose, Glucose, Hexose, Rhamnose, Pentose?

3. Is the Noni Juice free from cancer-causing Sodium Benzoate (a preservative also known as E211)?

4. Are there artificial coloring in there?

5. Is the Noni Juice Vegan-certified via EarthKosher or Vegan.org?

6. Would Noni Juice cause allergic reactions?
http://oasys2.confex.com/acs/232nm/techprogram/P950562.HTM explains that proteins found in Noni Juice are easily digested by pectin in the stomach. As such, Noni Juice can easily be considere “non-gluten”!

7. What’s the difference between Tahitian Noni Juice and the Hawaiin Noni Juice?

8. Did anyone get hurt drinking Noni Juice?
The Journal of Food Science via http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118509799/home mentioned this,”Several preclinical safety tests and a human clinical safety study have revealed no adverse health effects, even at high doses. The available data substantiate its continued use as a safe food.”

This report contradicted two publicly-reported incidents of hepatic failure in 2 persons – although the exact brand of the Noni Juice and the victims’ daily dosages were not reported: “An asthmatic 29-year-old man with previous toxic hepatitis associated with small doses of paracetamol developed sub-acute hepatic failure following consumption of 1.5 L NONI juice over 3 wk necessitating urgent liver transplantation. A 62-year-old woman without evidence of previous liver disease but has chronic B-cell leukemiadeveloped an episode of self-limited acute hepatitis following consumption of 2 L NONI juice for over 3 months. A percutaneous liver biopsy revealed acute hepatitis consistent with an idiosyncratic drug reaction.”

Although anthraquinones in Noni Juice were attributed to the poisoning of these 2 victims’ livers, it’s note-worthy that perhaps these 2 were on prescription drugs during the duration they also consumed Noni Juice. The 29-year old man was taking ETHANOL medication atop of paracetamol. Would it be different if these 2 were not already sick and on prescribed medicine?

It does seem that prescription drugs interacted with Noni Juice. The World Journal of Gastroenterology further confirms that Noni Juice is not hepatoxic although I truly feel that anyone on prescription medicine (RX drugs) should not be taking Noni Juice without first consulting a Holistic doctor or nutritionist first.

9. Were there any Clinical Trials on Noni Juice?
“No Human Trials were ever conducted on Noni Juice” (The New Straits Times, a Malaysian newspaper, had this wrong on 10th Aug 1999) and “The only long-term studies that have been done with noni have been with MICE, not humans. ” are false statements.

A researcher, Dr. WANG Mian Ying, at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (University of Illinois College at Rockford), used a human placental substances to test the effects of noni concentrate on human breast tumours. To be more precise, 10% Tahitian Noni Liquid Dietary Supplement made by Morinda Inc.

However it is true that there is no conclusive results from clinical studies on Proxeronine and Proxeronase, which the Noni Juice has.

10. Were the ^clinical studies of Noni Juice based on the Original Noni Juice developed by Tahitian Noni International, Inc. (TNI, held by Morinda Holdings, Inc.)?
No. For example the cancer study on Noni Juice was conducted on extracts provided by Morinda Inc and not Tahitian Noni International.

^Clinical Studies of Noni Juice
Dr. James A. Duke is one of the world’s most highly respected scientific authorities on herbs and their phytochemical content. His authoritative CRC handbook’s listed listed 23 different phytochemicals, 5 vitamins and 3 minerals in the Noni Juice.
Dr. Ralph Heinicke, who has patents on Xeronine, has no conclusive studies Proxeronine and Proxeronase (from the Noni Juice) yet. He is currently still studying compounds found in Noni Juice.

Dr. E. Furuwasa (Univeristy of Hawaii) studied Noni Juice’s reaction for those taking chemotherapy drugs for Sarcoma. “Noni-ppt showed synergistic or additive beneficial effects when combined with a broad spectrum of chemotherapeutic drugs, including cisplatin, adriamycin, mitomycin-C, bleomycin, etoposide, 5- fl uorouracil, vincristine or camptothecin. It was not beneficial when combined with paclitaxel, cytosine arabinoside, or immunosuppressive anticancer drugs such as cyclophosphamide, methotrexate or 6-thioguanine.”

Dr. C. Ho (Rutgers University) is researching compounds in Noni Juice.

Dr. Neil Solomon (previously from John Hopkins University of Medicine) on Noni Juice http://www.amazon.com/Noni-Phenomenon-Neil-Solomon/dp/1887938877 and http://www.amazon.com/Noni-Solution-Millions-Achieve-Wellness/dp/1887938443
I know that there are those who would discredit Solomon for his past misconduct, but clinical trials done and being done on Noni Juice should not be dismissed by the scientific communtity.

To date, scientists are still investigating anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasistic and anti-oxidative properties, toxicological, allergenicity, and genotoxicity of Noni Juice.

There are perhaps other more note-worthy anti-oxidants and compound in Noni Juice that inhibits the growth of E. Coli and arthritis (Cox-I and COX-II enzymes in Noni Juice) as mentioned by drinkers of the Noni Juice. But no clinical studies have proven these theories.

Other Scientists who have worked on the Noni Juice

11. Why is it that not all Noni Juice are the same? ==> A large degree of variability was found in the concentrations of 9 minerals, revealing that not all noni juices are the same. Many brands of Noni Juice have a different nutrient profile than that published by the European Union for TAHITIAN NONI® Juice. – http://www.NCBI.nlm.nih.gov

This is, I believe, due to the Morinda Citrifolia plant, FIGHTING with other surrounding Morinda Citrifolia plants – via the same patch of land/soil – for nutrition. The unequal nutrititional values could have been prevented if each plant was planted in its on soil (much like how you’d isolate a Fighting Fish from the rest!), so that every plant’s nutrition could be measured equally.

Different brands of Noni Juice also meant different doses and manufacturing techniques by the brand creators. Heat is the number one reason why plants lose much of their original nutritional value, followed by transport and storage of the Noni Juice.

12. Does Noni Juice contain freeze-dried content? Is freeze-fried fruit juice extracts better in Noni Juice? Apparently, fruit juice containing freeze-dried fruit extract had no effect on humans. “An early (Phase I) clinical trial of freeze-dried noni fruit extract was done on 29 patients at the University of Hawaii to learn about its actions and toxicities in people with cancer. This study found no toxic effects on patients even at daily doses of 10 grams, but also found that there was no significant effect on quality of life. It was noted, however, that those who got higher doses reported feeling somewhat better. – Cancer.org”

13. Will the real Noni Juice please stand up?
http://www.nonijuice.us
http://www.virginnonijuice.com
http://www.thetotalhealthshop.com/100_Organic_Tahitian_Noni_Juice_s/4.htm
http://noni-juice-hawaii.com/noni_info/history-of-noni.php

There are at least 177 brands of Noni Juice, which adds to the confusion of which, one should get. Ref: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17162334?dopt=AbstractPlus

These are some of the questions, and doubts, that make people shun the Noni Juice.

In a 2006 article, Dr. Mercola said that Noni Juice is 2,000 below spinach in anti-oxidants (ORAC Antioxidant level)!

Using similar questions for other fruit juice like Assam Juice or Acai Berries, you can more or less ascertain whether or not your bottled fruit juice is good or not. When in doubt, just buy whole fruits and juice them (fruit juice not for diabetics so consult a nutritionist or holistic doctor first).

There is no one single food that is everything you ever need and that is why it makes sense that you should have a variety of foods.