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Mangosteen

What is the mangosteen?

The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) originates from South East Asia and is also known as the queen of tropical fruits. The fruit has a dark purple color. The non-edible purple outer skin encloses juicy, edible white fruit segments, which resemble small mandarins in size and structure. The fruit is prized for its mild, sweet flavor, while the rind is sometimes used as a spice in cooking. Various parts of the plant including the leaves, bark and fruit are used in traditional East Asian medicine to treat skin and urinary tract infections and digestive disorders. Mangosteen is closely related to Garcinia Cambogia, which has been praised for its weight loss support.

Where does mangosteen come from?

The mangosteen tree reaches a height of 6 to 25 meters and grows in many tropical areas such as Southeast Asia, Central and South America and Southern India. The tree bears fruit seasonally, which is generally only available for two months of the year. For this reason, it can be difficult and relatively expensive to find fresh mangosteen.

Mangosteen fruit is usually also available in the form of syrup and juice.

Health benefits

The outer rind of the mangosteen contains a family of chemicals called xanthones, which are thought to have a number of beneficial effects (1). Mangosteen products are advertised as anti-cancer foods. A number of in vitro and animal studies have shown that mangosteen xanthones have anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities, meaning that they interfere with cell division and stimulate the destruction of damaged cells such as tumor cells. These effects have been observed in a number of tumor types (2). In addition, mangosteen xanthones have been shown to reduce inflammation by interfering with the production of a number of types of pro-inflammatory chemicals that are naturally produced in the body (3). In vitro studies have shown that these xanthones may also improve the response of cells to insulin (4). It is believed that these properties may play a role in the treatment of metabolic syndrome - a condition characterized by obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation (5). The antioxidant properties of mangosteen have been demonstrated in humans by reducing the concentration of free radicals in the blood (5). There are human studies that have shown that mangosteen extract is able to improve the immune response by increasing the number of lymphocytes and the levels of certain chemicals that regulate immune function. A subjective increased feeling of good health has also been reported (6).

Benefits for bodybuilders

In addition to the general health benefits, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory supplements are of particular interest to bodybuilders as they can accelerate muscle repair and recovery and shorten recovery time.

Bodybuilding involves rigorous training, which puts a lot of strain on the body and can weaken the immune system as a result. An immune system booster can keep the athlete healthy and minimize downtime due to illness.

Side effects and safety?

As a result of the health benefits of mangosteen advertised by supplement manufacturers, a large number of studies have been conducted in recent years. However, although many of the effects of mangosteen extracts are promising in test tubes or in mice, the number of studies conducted in humans is very limited (1). What is known about the effects in humans is that mangosteen xanthones are very poorly absorbed through the digestive tract. One of the most comprehensive studies on bioavailability showed that on average less than 0.1% of the active compounds consumed ended up in the bloodstream. Although this resulted in an 18% increase in the amount of antioxidants in the blood and mirrored the results of previously conducted animal studies, the experiment included known antioxidants such as green tea and vitamin A, so the authors of the study were unable to determine how large the contribution of mangosteen to this effect actually was. The active ingredients in mangosteen are found in the highest concentrations in the hard, fibrous skin of the plant and not in the edible portion of the fruit, meaning that benefits achievable through this plant are not as enticing as they may seem at first glance, not least because eating the skin can irritate the digestive tract (1). In addition to this, it is impossible to get fresh mangosteen during most of the year and most products only contain the edible part of the fruit. However, there are some juices and extracts available that are made from the whole fruit, including the peel and pulp.

Recommended intake

There has been very little human research to determine an optimal dosage, but 60 ml of pureed whole mangosteen showed potential antioxidant effects in one study (7). Another study showed anti-inflammatory effects only from a dose of 550 ml of a commercially available drink containing mangosteen in combination with other fruits.

Mangosteen supplements

Mangosteen is found in some commercial juices and is available as an isolated extract, as well as an ingredient in some natural nutritional supplements.

Combinations of mangosteen with other supplements

Mangosteen can be combined with virtually all other supplements and is particularly suitable for a recovery stack that utilizes the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of mangosteen.

References

  1. Gutierrez-Orozco F, Failla ML. Biological Activities and Bioavailability of Mangosteen Xanthones: A Critical Review of the Current Evidence. Nutrients. 2013 August; 5(8): 3163-3183.(2)Kosem N., Ichikawa K., Utsumi H., Moongkarndi P. In vivo toxicity and antitumor activity of mangosteen extract. J. Nat. Med. 2013;67:255-263. doi: 10.1007/s11418-012-0673-8.
  2. Chen L.G., Yang L.L., Wang C.C. Anti-inflammatory activity of mangostins from Garcinia mangostana.Food Chem. Toxicol. 2008;46:688-693.
  3. Bumrungpert A., Kalpravidh R.W., Chitchumroonchokchai C., Chuang C.C., West T., Kennedy A., McIntosh M. Xanthones from mangosteen prevent lipopolysaccharide-mediated inflammation and insulin resistance in primary cultures of human adipocytes. J. Nutr. 2009;139:1185-1191.
  4. Udani J.K., Singh B.B., Barrett M.L., Singh V.J. Evaluation of mangosteen juice blend on biomarkers of inflammation in obese subjects: A pilot, dose finding study. Nutr. J. 2009;8:48-54.
  5. Tang YP, Li PG, Kondo M, Ji HP, Kou Y, Ou B. Effect of a mangosteen dietary supplement on human immune function: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Med Food. 2009 Aug;12(4):755-63.
  6. Kondo M., Zhang L., Ji H., Kou Y., Ou B. Bioavailability and antioxidant effects of a xanthone-rich mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) product in humans. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2009;57:8788-8792.