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This is not a medical site and does not offer medical advice. Always consult a doctor regarding medical matters.
Does Goji Work?Given all the claimed health benefits of goji it's reasonable to ask "Does it actually work"? Unfortunately most of the evidence is anecdotal.
Reported EffectsMany people around the world use goji berries regularly and are convinced that they feel better as a result. That in itself is evidence that at least on some level they do "work". The two big questions are 1) is this merely a placebo effect? and 2) are goji berries significantly better than any other healthy diet?If goji berries do work then one possible explanation is their constituent elements. Goji berries contain a staggering number of vitamins and other nutrients. Some people have even claimed that they are the most nutrient rich food plant in the world. It's worth noting that some of these nutrients might by reduced or even eliminated by processing methods. In addition, if the nutrients are provided by the soil then the nutritional value of a particular batch of berries might be directly related to the region in which they were grown.
ResearchThere has been little scientific research to date on the effectiveness of goji berries. One experiment(1) has suggested that a component of lycium barbarum can reduce fatigue - in mice. Another experiment(2) suggests that a compound from goji berries "may induce immune responses and possess potential therapeutic efficacy in cancer".These are, of course, simply preliminary results. Even if confirmed it would still be necessary to investigate the optimum dosage in humans as well as possible side-effects. Until further research is done and the necessary information gathered it's not possible to say whether goji berries are really a miracle food or simply an over-hyped, over-priced fad.
All original material copyright © Trevor Mendham 2004 - 2009 Please read the site usage terms.
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