Mangosteen

What it is

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit from the tree Garcinia mangostana. The edible white flesh is eaten fresh, but most supplements and juices are made from the thick purple rind (pericarp), which is rich in plant compounds called xanthones, including alpha-mangostin. A human pharmacokinetic study found that only a portion of the xanthones in pericarp particles is released and absorbed during digestion.

What the research says

Mangosteen rind extract is marketed as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplement. A 2023 review included 24 studies and concluded mangosteen "has anti-inflammatory potency (especially the component of xanthone and flavonoid)" across many conditions — but 13 of those 24 studies were done in mice and only one in humans, even though the review labels all 24 randomized controlled trials. Where mangosteen has been tested against a real-world outcome in people, such as exercise fatigue, it did not outperform placebo.

Evidence grade: Limited evidence.

What goes wrong

Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs -- a tertiary summary, not the primary paper -- reports that alpha-mangostin was found to exacerbate symptoms in a mouse model of experimental colitis; the primary study could not be independently located, and the summary itself states clinical relevance in humans is not known. (Source 1)

• Animal study, Very low certainty.
• Size: not stated (reported second-hand by a tertiary summary; primary study not independently located)
• Who: Murine (mouse) model of experimental colitis, as described by a secondary/tertiary source, not the primary paper.
• How long: not stated.
• Result: Reported exacerbation of colitis symptoms with alpha-mangostin exposure in a murine model; clinical relevance in humans explicitly stated as unknown by the source.
• Funding: not stated.

Alpha-mangostin was reported to exacerbate symptoms of experimental colitis in a murine model. Clinical relevance is not known.

What the evidence supports

A 2023 systematic review of 24 studies concluded that mangosteen, and particularly its xanthone and flavonoid components, shows anti-inflammatory activity across a range of inflammatory conditions — but most of the underlying studies were done in mice. (Source 2)

• Systematic review, Low certainty.
• Size: 24 studies selected from 412 screened.
• Who: Mixed animal and human studies of inflammatory conditions.
• How long: varied across included trials.
• Result: Anti-inflammatory activity reported across obesity, skin disease, psychiatric disease, dental disease, asthma, atherosclerosis, colitis, and arthritis models/trials.
• Funding: not stated.

Limit of this finding: The review's own account of its evidence does not hold together. It calls every one of the 24 included studies a randomized controlled trial, but 13 of them were done in mice and only one was done in humans — an animal experiment is not a clinical randomized controlled trial, so that label cannot be right for all 24. Its screening figure is also loose: the "412 studies" were 402 database records plus 10 records from other sources, and only 224 were actually screened. Read this as a summary of mostly animal work, not as clinical evidence in people.

anti-inflammatory potency (especially the component of xanthone and flavonoid) in various inflammatory conditions

What the evidence does not support

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial found a single dose of mangosteen juice did not reduce physical fatigue during exercise. (Source 3)

• Randomized trial, Moderate certainty.
• Size: 12 healthy adults.
• Who: Healthy, physically active adults (6 male, 6 female)
• How long: single-dose, crossover with 2-week washout.
• Result: No significant effect on exercise-induced physical fatigue versus placebo, apart from a positive change on a mood questionnaire (POMS)
• Funding: independent (Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan grant)

We concluded that acute mangosteen supplementation had no impact on alleviating physical fatigue during exercise.

Where the evidence is mixed

In the same systematic review, most of the included studies used mice as the subjects, and only one study was carried out in healthy humans. (Source 4)

• Systematic review, Low certainty.
• Size: 24 included studies, 13 of them in mice.
• Who: Animal and human studies of inflammatory conditions.
• How long: varied across included studies.
• Result: 13 of 24 included studies used mice; 1 study in healthy humans, 5 in skin diseases, 3 in obesity, and 2 each in psychiatric diseases, arthritis and teeth diseases.
• Funding: not stated.

Limit of this finding: The review's own account of its evidence does not hold together. It calls every one of the 24 included studies a randomized controlled trial, but 13 of them were done in mice and only one was done in humans — an animal experiment is not a clinical randomized controlled trial, so that label cannot be right for all 24. Its screening figure is also loose: the "412 studies" were 402 database records plus 10 records from other sources, and only 224 were actually screened. Read this as a summary of mostly animal work, not as clinical evidence in people.

All of the studies were randomized control trial (n: 24) with most of the subjects were mice (n: 13).

A human pharmacokinetic study found that xanthones from mangosteen juice are absorbed into blood and urine, but only a small fraction of the rind's total xanthone content is released and absorbed, with large person-to-person variation. (Source 5)

• Blood level study, Low certainty.
• Size: 10 healthy adults.
• Who: Healthy adults given juice with a high-fat breakfast.
• How long: 24-hour sampling after a single dose.
• Result: Urinary xanthones accounted for about 2% of the ingested dose, with wide variation in peak blood levels between individuals.
• Funding: not stated.

These results show that xanthones in mangosteen juice are absorbed when ingested along with a high-fat meal, although release of xanthones from pericarp particles during digestion may be limited.

Where the research disagrees

Whether mangosteen's anti-inflammatory reputation rests on human clinical evidence or mainly on animal and laboratory work

• Systematic review authors (2023), whose 24 included studies were mostly animal experiments — 13 in mice, only 1 in humans — despite all being labelled randomized controlled trials, systematic-review: All of the studies were randomized control trial (n: 24) with most of the subjects were mice (n: 13). (Source 4)
• Randomized exercise-fatigue trial authors (2016), rct: We concluded that acute mangosteen supplementation had no impact on alleviating physical fatigue during exercise. (Source 3)

How much

• Reference intake: No RDA, AI, or other essential-nutrient reference intake has been established for mangosteen fruit, rind, or xanthone extracts by any body or paper we found; it is not classified as an essential nutrient. (Source 2)
• Upper limit: No Tolerable Upper Intake Level has been set for mangosteen. A tertiary herb-information summary (Memorial Sloan Kettering) describes a case of severe lactic acidosis following about a year of daily mangosteen juice consumption, but the primary case report could not be independently verified this session, so it is held rather than treated as an established risk (see the ingredient's held items). (Source 1)
• Studied: A randomized crossover trial gave a single 250 mL dose of mangosteen juice containing 305 mg alpha-mangostin and 278 mg hydroxycitric acid before exercise. (Source 3)
• Studied: A human pharmacokinetic study gave a single 60 mL dose of mangosteen juice with a high-fat breakfast. (Source 5)

A common belief, and what the research shows

The belief: Mangosteen juice or rind extract is a proven anti-inflammatory superfruit that is safe for everyone in any amount.

What the research shows: Most of the supporting evidence is preclinical. A 2023 review of 24 studies reports that "All of the studies were randomized control trial (n: 24) with most of the subjects were mice (n: 13)" — 13 in mice, one in humans. A controlled human trial concluded "acute mangosteen supplementation had no impact on alleviating physical fatigue during exercise." A tertiary summary from Memorial Sloan Kettering also reports that "Alpha-mangostin was reported to exacerbate symptoms of experimental colitis in a murine model," adding that "Clinical relevance is not known."

Questions and answers

What is it?

Mangosteen is a tropical fruit from the tree Garcinia mangostana. Most supplements and juices are made from the thick purple rind (pericarp), which contains plant compounds called xanthones, including alpha-mangostin, rather than from the edible white flesh. (Source 5)

What does it do in the body?

Mangosteen rind extract is claimed to reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant. A 2023 systematic review of 24 randomized controlled trials found anti-inflammatory activity linked to its xanthone and flavonoid content, but most of that evidence came from mouse studies, and a controlled human trial found no benefit for exercise-induced fatigue. (Source 2)

Is it good or bad for you?

Evidence of benefit in humans is weak and mostly preclinical, so mangosteen is not established as broadly 'good.' It is not clearly 'bad' in typical dietary use either, but an animal study reported that alpha-mangostin worsened colitis symptoms in a mouse model (clinical relevance in humans unknown), and a case of severe lactic acidosis after prolonged, heavy daily juice consumption has been described in a tertiary summary we could not independently verify against the primary report -- so caution in heavy or prolonged use is reasonable pending confirmation. (Source 1)

How do you get more of it?

As studied in trials, people have been given mangosteen as juice: one trial used a single 250 mL dose containing 305 mg of alpha-mangostin, and a pharmacokinetic study used 60 mL of juice taken with a high-fat meal. Outside of the fruit and its rind, mangosteen xanthones are not found in ordinary whole foods. (Source 3)

If it is harmful, what reduces it?

Not clearly detailed in the sources we could verify: the case report describing lactic acidosis was accessed only through a secondary summary that did not include details of recovery after mangosteen juice was stopped. (Source 1)

We searched: Searched for the full text of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases case report on mangosteen-associated lactic acidosis to find discontinuation/recovery details; the primary article was paywalled and only a secondary summary was reachable.

Why might someone be low in it or missing it?

Not directly addressed in the literature we reviewed: mangosteen is a consumed fruit or supplement, not a substance the body requires, so the sources found do not describe a 'mangosteen deficiency' state. (Source 4)

We searched: Searched for 'mangosteen deficiency' and 'mangosteen essential nutrient'; found no such literature, only reviews of its anti-inflammatory effects such as the 2023 systematic review.

Which whole foods contain it or feed it?

The whole-food source is the mangosteen fruit itself (Garcinia mangostana), particularly its rind, where the xanthone compounds are concentrated; it is not found in other common foods. (Source 5)

What happens if you do not have it?

Not directly addressed: because mangosteen is not established as an essential nutrient, the literature we reviewed does not describe any consequence of not consuming it. (Source 4)

We searched: Searched the 2023 systematic review and the human trials located for any described consequence of not consuming mangosteen; none describes one.

How can you test for it?

There is no validated consumer test for mangosteen intake. A research pharmacokinetic study measured xanthones such as alpha-mangostin in blood and urine after a dose, but found large person-to-person variation and low, variable absorption, so this is a research method rather than a validated or reliable individual test. (Source 5)

References

1. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine. Mangosteen (About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products). Read the source
2. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. Anti-Inflammatory Potency of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.): A Systematic Review. 2023. DOI 10.3889/oamjms.2023.8746. Read the source
3. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Acute Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) supplementation does not alleviate physical fatigue during exercise: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. 2016. PMID 27152103, DOI 10.1186/s12970-016-0132-0. Read the source
4. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. Anti-Inflammatory Potency of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.): A Systematic Review (Results: characteristics of included studies). 2023. DOI 10.3889/oamjms.2023.8746. Read the source
5. The Journal of Nutrition. Xanthones in Mangosteen Juice Are Absorbed and Partially Conjugated by Healthy Adults. Read the source