Health Benefits of Noni Juice

Polynesian folk remedy poses certain health risks

Noni juice is sourced from the fruit of the noni tree (Morinda citrifolia) found in Tahiti, Hawaii, Southeast Asia, Australia, and India. Although noni juice has been used for centuries in traditional medicine, its use has come under scrutiny due to potential risks and unsupported health claims.

Also known as the Indian mulberry, the noni tree is prized for its bark, which is used to make red and yellow dye for clothing and batik. In addition to the fruit of the noni tree, the stems, leaves, bark, and root of the noni tree are also used for medicine.

Noni fruit is sometimes called cheese fruit because of its strong smell and bitter taste. It is more often used as a famine food rather than as a staple of a regional diet.

Health Benefits

Noni juice has a long history of use in native cultures, where it is believed to treat constipation, diarrhea, skin infections, and mouth sores. The leaves of the plant are also frequently applied to the skin to aid in wound healing. Noni juice is known to be rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (compounds that prevent free radicals from damaging cells).

Noni became popular in the 1990s when the juice was heavily promoted as a health beverage. In 1992, a dehydrated form of the fruit was introduced into the United States by Herbert Moniz of Herb’s Herbs, who produced both powdered and capsule supplements.

Alternative medicine practitioners have ascribed noni juice with a multitude of health benefits, including the treatment of diabetes, high blood pressure, menstrual disorders, heart disease, gastric ulcers, depression, atherosclerosis, HIV, and cancer. There is currently no evidence to support any of these claims.

Smoking and Inflammation

The anti-inflammatory effects of noni juice are often exaggerated by supplement manufacturers. There is one group, however, in whom noni juice may exert tangible benefits: Smokers.

The effect was greatest in heavy smokers with severe chronic inflammation (as measured by the C-reactive protein test). The findings, while promising, do not suggest that noni juice can mitigate the effects of smoking or that noni juice can render similar benefits in non-smokers. Further research is needed.

Possible Side Effects

There is some debate regarding the safety of noni juice for medical uses. While it is likely safe when consumed as a beverage, the overuse of noni juice or its extract may cause harm to the liver.

The noni plant contains anthraquinones, compounds found to be hepatotoxic (toxic to the liver) and carcinogenic. There have been several confirmed reports of liver injury, including hepatitis and liver failure, attributed to noni consumption.

Noni juice is high in potassium and should be avoided by people with kidney, heart, and liver disease as well as those taking potassium-sparing diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Doing so can lead to hyperkalemia (excessively high potassium levels).5

Similarly, if you have bleeding disorders or are taking blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Plavix (clopidogrel), you should avoid using noni as it may further slow blood clotting.4 Noni juice is also high in sugar and should be used with caution in people with diabetes.

Noni may also interact with other drugs and treatments, such as phenytoin, the liver enzyme UGT (uridine 5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase), and both chemo and radiation therapy.6

Due to the lack of safety research, noni should not be used in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children.

Dosage and Preparation

There are no guidelines directing the appropriate use of noni juice. A study published in 2009 found that noni juice is safe up to 750 mL (or about 25 ounces of juice) per day.7

Typically sourced from the Tahitian or Hawaiian noni fruit, noni juice is available in many health food stores, usually in pasteurized or fermented juice forms. Noni can also be found in powder, tablet, extract, or capsule form, either online or in dietary supplement stores. Noni juice and supplements are intended for short-term use only.

What to Look For

Dietary supplements are not routinely tested for quality or safety in the United States. As a general rule of thumb, choose supplements from well-known manufacturers with an established brand presence. Try not to be swayed by health claims that may or may not be true.

If buying noni juice or extract, check to see how much sugar it contains. Noni juice is naturally bitter, so the juice will usually be sweetened with sugar, agave syrup, or some other natural or artificial sweetener.