What are the possible side effects of taking Moringa oleifera?

Key Takeaways

1. Moringa oleifera is a highly nutritious tree that possesses potent antioxidants. Moringa has been shown in multiple scientific studies to provide numerous benefits, such as reducing asthma symptoms, an increase in milk production, a decrease in blood glucose levels, and an improvement of lung function among many other important benefits. The data bears out that most of these benefits arise from ingesting Moringa leaf rather than Moringa seeds, roots, or stems.
2. There are very few side-effects that can arise from taking Moringa oleifera. Such side-effects are usually contingent upon dosage and/or which part of the tree you are ingesting (e.g. root versus seeds or roots). Hence, it is very important to stay within the clinically effective dosage range, and it would be wise to make sure you are only supplementing with Moringa leaves, as Moringa toxicity is generally seen in its other parts, rather than its leaves because leaves are extremely difficult to overconsume. In short, consume the right dose of the leaves and in the vast majority of cases the benefits will outweigh the risks; by that measure, Moringa is something most people should use on a daily basis.
3. Some things to be cautious of: Moringa can possibly interact with diabetes, blood pressure and thyroid medications. Hence, it would be pertinent to ask your doctor if it is safe to take Moringa if you are taking such medications.
4. Moringa Vinga only uses 100% USDA organic moringa leaves at clinically effective dosages. Thus, with Moringa Vinga, you are getting the safest form of Moringa at the safest dosages, which minimizes most of the worries surrounding side-effects and maximizes the potential benefits of consuming.

What is Moringa Oleifera and What Does it Do?

Before getting into the side effects of taking Moringa oleifera, it is important to know exactly what it is. Often referred to as the “tree of life” or as the “miracle tree”, Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree) –is an important tree and vegetable that originates in India.

Moringa oleifera is an important plant for two reasons. The first is because it is an extremely economical crop: the economical value of Moringa oleifera  rests in its ability to resist droughts, while simultaneously being able to grow quickly and have an extremely potent nutritional profile.

The second point of importance is Moringa oleifera has beneficial and practical usage as a dietary supplement. On the one hand, Moringa oleifera is an extremely potent antioxidant, which seems to be the underlying cause of the many benefits associated with Moringa. On the other hand, Moringa oleifera is an effective anti-inflammatory supplement, that also contains some anti-diabetic effects via promoting the health of the pancreas and via reducing blood glucose levels. Moringa’s antioxidant properties categorize Moringa as an adaptogen–which is a compound that helps the body resist all sorts of stressors, both physical and psychological. Not all adaptogens include anti-inflammatory properties, so Moringa packs a double punch of important health benefits.

The many benefits of Moringa oleifera include, but are not limited to:

• Improving milk production
• Potent antibacterial and antifungal properties in the form of soap
• Can potentially reduce the damage of stomach ulcers
• Can improve blood sugar levels
• Can improve non-allergy related asthmatic symptoms
• Can enhance respiratory/lung capacity and function
• Can help improve skin moisture and wrinkles when used as a cream
• Can help with memory and learning
• Can reduce symptoms of anxiety
• Can increase dopamine levels (which can lead to an improvement in non-clinical depressive symptoms).
• Can reduce joint pain in conditions like arthritis and rheumatism, among others
• Moringa seems to have anti-cancer properties in vitro against pancreatic cancer, which is an extremely hopeful preliminary finding
• Can reduce the proliferation of melanoma cells
• Can reduce the proliferation of cervical cancer cells
• Has the potential to reduce cancerous colon tumors
• Can improve lipid and cholesterol profiles

Aside from these many benefits, Moringa oleifera has an extremely impressive micronutrient profile. Each part of the Moringa oleifera tree (the leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and stems) are abundant in key nutrients for optimal health. The leaves alone, however, are impressive enough, which is why Moringa Vinga uses only 100% USDA organic Moringa leaves. Here is the nutrient profile of the Moringa oleifera leaves:

One cup of fresh moringa leaves contain about:

• Vitamin B6: 19% of the RDA (recommended daily value)
• Vitamin C: 12% of the RDA
• Iron: 11% of the RDA
• Riboflavin: 11% of the RDA
• Vitamin A: 9% of the RDA
• Magnesium: 8% of the RDA

Gram for gram, moringa contains:

• 7x the amount of vitamin C as oranges
• 4x the amount of calcium as cows’ milk
• 2x the amount of protein of yogurt
• 3x the amount of potassium as bananas
• 4x the amount of vitamin A as carrots

What Are the Side Effects of taking Moringa oleifera? Is Moringa safe?

Before taking any supplement, it is crucial to know what its potential downsides are. Luckily, the downsides of Moringa oleifera are outweighed by its benefits. Furthermore, the downsides of Moringa oleifera are quite case-dependent.

Most of these side effects from taking Moringa are not associated with the consumption of Moringa leaves. Rather, they are mostly associated with the other parts of the Moringa tree, like the seeds, roots and stem.

Furthermore, side effects most commonly associated with the over-consumption of Moringa, not Moringa at normal clinically effective dosages.

It is important to know what the right dosages are when taking Moringa to ensure you are taking it at non-toxic levels.

For the water leaf extract (which is the form of Moringa used in most Moringa studies), the current data suggests that 68-90 milligrams per pound of bodyweight is the optimal dosage. For instance, 150 lb. person, roughly 10.2-13.5 grams is the optimal dosage.

For the ordinary leaf extract, 500 milligrams appears to be the optimal dosage.

3 grams is the optimal dosage for the seeds.

Finally, the optimal dosage for the root is 68 milligrams per pound of body weight, which is the same dosage as the leaf extract.

There is much less of a concern/risk it comes to overconsuming the leaves of the Moringa tree. Indeed, it would take consuming an extraordinarily large amount of the leaves (specifically, 3 grams per pound of bodyweight) in order to have a toxic effect on the body. Moringa Vinga contains about 2 grams of Moringa leaves per 1 ounce serving. Our 8-ounce bottles have 8 servings, making an entire bottle contain about 16 grams of moringa leaves. Let’s say that you are 120 pounds. You would have to consume 22 bottles of our product in one sitting in order to begin experiencing negative effects from overconsumption of moringa! The challenge of that is needless to state.

Hence, if one were to ask, “what if I drink two to three servings of Moringa Vinga daily?” the answer would be that it is perfectly safe and beneficial. Should you drink over ten bottles of Moringa Vinga daily? Probably not.

Now, let’s address the other parts of the tree. If you decide to take the seeds, be sure not to exceed the 3-gram dosage, and if you decide to take the root, do not take more than 68 milligrams per pound of bodyweight. Exceeding these dosages can lead to organ damage (if you take 3-4 times the recommended dosages) and genotoxic damage which is the damaging of genetic information inside cells, which can cause mutations and potentially lead to developing cancer.

An important takeaway here is that if you are trying to avoid side-effects, do not overconsume Moringa in any of its forms. A more important takeaway here, however, is that if you are going to supplement with Moringa, you should choose the leaves, because they are the most well-researched, safest and most effective part of the tree to supplement with.

Conditions and Interactions

Furthermore, there are a few contexts to keep in mind. Specifically, pay close attention to what follows if you have a health condition or are on medication, as Moringa can potentially interact negatively with certain conditions and medications.

Diabetes and Diabetes Medication

Moringa has been shown to be a potentially effective anti-diabetic agent due to its ability to lower blood sugar levels and its ability to reduce post-meal glucose spikes. However, if you are taking any medication for diabetes, Moringa can possibly cause hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels that are lower than normal), as Moringa along with diabetes medications both lower blood sugar, which combined, can potentially lower blood sugar too much. If you decide to take Moringa while taking medication for diabetes, you should first speak to your doctor and if you get approval from your doctor, you should closely monitor your blood sugar levels to ensure your levels are not dipping too low.

Blood Pressure Related Conditions and Blood Pressure Medication

If you have any blood pressure related condition (i.e. high or low blood pressure) and/or you take any blood pressure medication, it is best that you consult your doctor before you decide to take Moringa. Many studies show that Moringa can reduce blood pressure and specifically, reduce blood pressure that is associated with vasodilation. As the scientific data stands, it is unknown what effect such a reduction might have with certain conditions or medications but consulting with your doctor can clear the air on whether or not it is safe for you to take Moringa.

In any case, those with high blood pressure and oxidative stress can absolutely benefit from Moringa. Moringa can lower blood pressure and oxidative stress, which has allowed scientists to refer to Moringa as an effective natural anti-hypertensive treatment. In some cases, people have even gone off of their blood pressure medication in favor of Moringa.

Thyroid Hormones and Levothyroxine

Moringa can potentially have a suppressive effect on T4, the inactive thyroid hormone, being converted into T3, the active thyroid hormone. Because of this, it has been speculated that Moringa can potentially decrease the effectiveness of the drug levothyroxine, which is used to treat hypothyroidism. Given that this is only speculative at the moment, if you are on levothyroxine, you should speak to your doctor before taking Moringa to see if it is safe.

The Benefits Outweigh the Possible Side Effects of Taking Moringa

If you are only consuming the leaves of Moringa at the right dosage, without taking certain medicines or having certain conditions, it is clear that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Especially considering the risks are not derived from human studies.

In light of this, we hope you give our USDA organic Moringa leaf infusions a try. Because we use the right dosages of only the leaves (we use 2 grams of Moringa leaf), rather than the seeds or other parts of the Moringa tree, our product minimizes the risks and side-effects that are often associated with Moringa. Furthermore, our 2-month fermentation and infusion process entails no heating and the end product entails no additives –the only other ingredients in our infusions serve to increase the bioavailability of the Moringa leaves and to add great natural flavors to them that confer their own health benefits, like apple cider vinegar, elderberry, honey and holy basil, among others. Hence, each Moringa Vinga infusion is highly bioavailable and is readily absorbed by the body. Because each infusion has highly bioavailable Moringa leaves at correct/non-toxic dosages, you can reap all of the potential benefits of Moringa while minimizing its potential risks and side-effects. Plus, Moringa Vinga tastes amazing, which is a sweet added bonus to the profoundly impactful benefits of Moringa leaves.

 

• If you’re seeking calm, trying to fight allergies or just want some extra immunity protection, try the Elderberry & Holy Basil infusion. The moringa, elderberry, apple cider vinegar, honey, and holy basil (or tulsi) all work to keep your immune system strong, promote respiratory and sinus health, and support blood pressure and reduce feelings of stress.

I want to try Elderberry & Holy Basil

• For an all-around winner that tastes great, try the Ginger & Lemongrass infusion. The ginger and lemongrass soothe digestion and in conjunction with the moringa, honey, and apple cider vinegar improve overall mobility, reduce inflammation, and promote blood sugar health and insulin sensitivity.

I want to try Ginger & Lemongrass

• Experiencing mental fog or memory problems? Whether they’re the result of aging or stress, the Spearmint & Rosemary infusion can help alleviate symptoms. The spearmint and rosemary are specially selected for their refreshing taste as well as their ability to support memory and focus, balance hormones, and improve circulation and digestion.

I want to try Spearmint & Rosemary

Give Moringa Vinga a try today!