Mangosteen Side Effects and Interaction With Some Prescription Drugs

You may be aware of the myriad health benefits of mangosteen, but are you aware of the side effects?

This natural fruit is very popular for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. It is also well known for treating a number of diseases such as diarrhea, skin infections, wounds, etc.

Generally, mangosteen is considered as a safe fruit. However, frequent and prolonged use may bring some side effects and/or unwanted interactions with other medications.

Here is an evaluation of potential side effects of the mangosteen fruit.

Side Effects In Relation To Diabetes And Cancer

Various studies indicate that mangosteen has the power to interfere with the actions of radiation treatment and chemotherapy drugs. Mangosteen can decrease the effectiveness of treatments such as platinum-containing medications, radiation therapy, anthracyclines, or alkylating drugs. Therefore, consultation with your oncologist is a must before consuming mangosteen.

Some mangosteen juice brands might be high in sugar content, especially the ones that contain other fruits and berries as added ingredients, so those should be avoided by diabetic patients.

However, the fruit in its fresh form should not be an issue for diabetics unless it is eaten in excessive amounts. If you want to consume this fruit, you must consult your physician because drugs relating to blood sugar need to be adjusted if you are going to eat mangosteen.

Interfering With Blood’s Coagulating Properties

Our body has a natural ability to prevent bleeding. Consumption of mangosteen may adversely affect this ability of your body. Mangosteen interacts with blood-thinning medications and it might lead to conditions like gastrointestinal bleeding.

Allergic Side Effects

People with hypersensitivities or allergies should avoid mangosteen because it can cause hives, rashes and itching. Some may also experience serious symptoms such as swelling of the throat, mouth or lips, chest tightness or pain, etc. These are health threatening allergies and you need immediate medical help if you experience these health problems.

In some cases, people may also experience some other side effects such as interrupted sleep, insomnia, loose stools, stomach upset, aching muscles, mild headache, joint pain, etc.

This fruit also is not good for infants, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with other fruit allergies, polycythemia rubra vera patients, a cancer patient who receive chemotherapy drugs, hemochromatosis patients, etc.

You must either stop the intake of mangosteen or reduce its dosage if you experience any health problem due to excessive consumption of this fruit. Generally, your body should accept mangosteen juice gradually with no problems.

If you feel persistent vomiting, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, weight loss, feeling cold, lightheadedness, etc you should stop the consumption of mangosteen and consult your doctor immediately.

Most mangosteen side effects are very mild and they can be mitigated or prevented completely by taking the juice or fruit in a lower dose.