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XanGo is an international multi-level marketing company based in Lehi, Utah. It sells a beverage called XanGo Juice, which it promotes as a health drink. XanGo claims to process the juice using a proprietary formula for using the whole mangosteen fruit (including the rind of the fruit) in a beverage. They were granted a patent on this product; the patent was later revoked. They have appealed. ,
XanGo is the official corporate sponsor of the Real Salt Lake, a soccer team based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Supporters
Dr. J. Frederick Templeman, a Utah physician, states:
- I have been using a Mangosteen functional beverage with my patients long enough to draw valid clinical conclusions about its effectiveness in many medical conditions. Initially, I used it as a fallback product only when the regular medicines I prescribed proved ineffectual. I now use it as a first-line therapy in a wide range of conditions because it has, in my experience, proven to be as efficacious or more efficacious than the prescription medicine I used to prescribe for numerous disease states....The only mangosteen product I recommend is XanGo.
Dr. Templeman maintains a website that sells books and CDs about mangosteen juice therapy, MangosteenMD.
The American Cancer Society webpage states:
- Although there is no evidence that mangosteen juice, puree, or bark is effective as a treatment for cancer, its fruit has been shown to be rich in antioxidants. Very early studies in the lab suggest that it may have promise as a treatment to be applied to the skin for acne. Early small studies in the lab and on rats suggest that further research should be done to find out if it can help with cancer prevention in humans...Like many other plants, extracts of mangosteen have shown in lab tests that they can stop certain bacteria and fungi from growing. One lab study suggested that mangosteen extract inhibits the growth of acne-causing bacteria. It has not been tested on people to find out if it helps acne in humans. In a lab dish, it also showed activity that slowed the growth of certain cancer cells. A small study on cancer inhibition in rats suggested that the rind of the mangosteen may reduce the risk of cancer cell growth in the bowel. However, mangosteen’s cancer inhibitory effect has not been tested in humans.
Criticism
The UC Berkeley Wellness Newsletter, sponsored by the University of California at Berkeley, says that claims for mangosteen juice are "farfetched and unsubstantiated":
- Mangosteen marketers make farfetched and unsubstantiated claims for their products, which are sold as “dietary supplements” via multi-level (network) marketing. The most promoted brand is XanGo, which comes both as a juice puree and in capsules. The juice can cost $25 or more for a 25-ounce bottle.
- Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is a tangerine-sized tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. Not to be confused with mango, it has a hard purple rind and white pulp inside. Laboratory studies have specifically looked at compounds in the rind, called xanthones, which seem to have some anti-cancer effects in the test tube. Mangosteen is also said to have antiseptic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity.
- Marketers cite long lists of lab studies as “proof” of mangosteen’s health benefits. But there are no clinical trials, and what happens in a test tube or animal may not occur in a human. Any reported benefits in humans have been anecdotal. No one even knows if the processed fruit juice and capsules retain the potentially beneficial compounds. What’s more, the juice is typically a mix of fruit juices—with an undisclosed amount of mangosteen in it.
Corporate Narc suggests that XanGo is being deceptively marketed . Corporate Narc notes that the Xango official website claims that XanGo can:
- "help maintain intestinal health, strengthen the immune system, neutralize free radicals, help support cartilage and joint function, and promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system"
but then adds:
- "These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."
They argue that this ploy, of making claims and then disavowing responsibility for them, shows intent to deceive. Corporate indifference to truth filters down the chain of distributors, who make exaggerated health claims to woo customers.
The Mayo Clinic Web page gives their opinion:
- Mangosteen is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia that has been used in folk medicine there for many years. Despite the name, this fruit is not related to the mango. The mangosteen is touted for its antioxidants, especially xanthones. Like many other plants, extracts of mangosteen have shown in lab tests that they can stop the growth of certain bacteria and fungi. However, there are no published clinical trials showing evidence that either the fruit or its juice — marketed under the name Xango juice — is an effective treatment for arthritis, cancer or any other disorder in humans.
Dr. Ralph Moss, the author of several natural remedy books, concludes his evaluation of mangosteen with these words:
- In my opinion, what we have here is simply an overpriced fruit drink. Fruit drinks are often healthful beverages. But the only reason I can see that the promoters of mangosteen can get away with charging $37 for this product is that they are playing on patients' hopes and fears in a cynical way. Without the health claims, open or implied, the product could only be sold for at most $5 or $6 (which, for example, is the cost of antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice).