If you’re a pregnant mom, you’ve surely heard of malunggay. It’s well touted as a galactagogue, or a milk supply enhancer.
A lot of people also swear that consuming malunggay has helped improve their immunity or control their diabetes, hypertension, infection, etc.
But much of these are anecdotal evidence, easily attributable to placebo effect.
The question is, what do scientifically designed and peer-reviewed research studies say? What does the empirical evidence point to? What are the facts?
Fact 1: Heat processing makes Moringa oleifera more nutritious, not less. While many of us are wary about cooking our vegetables because heat is known to destroy dietary nutrients, Hsu et al. observed that heat-processed malunggay leaves actually have three times as much readily absorbable iron as raw malunggay leaves.[1]
Also, a review article published by the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention states, “As commonly known, most vegetables lose their nutrients upon cooking. However, it was observed that Moringa leaves whether fresh, cooked or stored as dried powder for months without refrigeration, did not lose its [sic] nutritional value.”[2]
Fact 2: Among all parts of the Moringa oleifera tree, it is the leaves that hold the greatest antioxidant powers. In a 2015 biomedical article comparing the observed antioxidant benefits of malunggay seeds, leaves, bark, roots, sap, flowers, and seed pod, it was found that “[Malunggay] leaf extracts exhibit the greatest antioxidant activity.”[3]
Fact 3: Moringa oleifera leaves have been proven useful in controlling diabetes. At least five human studies have shown that both the extract and the powdered form of malunggay leaves can control and regulate the body’s levels of blood sugar and low-density lipoproteins, more commonly known as “bad cholesterol.”[3]
In addition, a single high-dose administration of malunggay leaf powder has also been found to significantly increase the secretion of insulin in healthy human subjects.[4] This suggests a potential for malunggay to be used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Fact 4: Moringa oleifera can enhance sexual function. In 2015, researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of Khon Kaen University in Thailand published a study that showed a low dose of malunggay leaf extract improved sexual performance in stress-exposed animal subjects. The subjects were observed to have more frequent intromission (male-to-female genital insertion), lower levels of corticosterone (a stress hormone), higher levels of testosterone (a sex hormone), and higher sperm counts.[5]
Fact 5: Moringa oleifera oil can protect sperm cells from the harmful effects of toxins. A study published in April 2016 showed that orally ingested malunggay oil protected animal subjects from the effects of mercury chloride toxicity. Unlike their unprotected counterparts, the malunggay oil drinkers did not experience poor sperm count, lower sperm motility, and reduced testosterone levels that were the common results of exposure to the toxin.[6]
Fact 6: Moringa oleifera is a natural antibacterial agent. Extracts from malunggay leaves have demonstrated “remarkable” antibacterial effects against Salmonella, a common cause of food poisoning and typhoid fever; E. coli, which can cause diarrhea and kidney failure; and Klebsiella pneumonia, which can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infection, wound infection, and meningitis. This was reported by a study published in the Nepal Medical College Journal in 2010.[7]
Fact 7: Moringa oleifera may protect your liver from all the fatty food you eat. In 2012, researchers from the University of Calcutta fed two groups of mice with a high-fat diet, but one group was given malunggay leaf extracts as well. The researchers found that, compared to the mice who received a high-fat diet only, the mice who also received malunggay leaf supplements had a significant increase in antioxidant parameters in their liver and less fat peroxidation,[8] which has been associated with many diseases, including atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, kidney damage, preeclampsia, and asthma.[9]
Fact 8: Moringa oleifera makes for an effective and all-natural wound dressing material. When used as wound dressing, malunggay polymers help blood clot faster, fight bacteria, absorb wetness, and are biodegradable.[10]
Fact 9: Moringa oleifera is an efficacious milk supply enhancer. To date, there have been at least six randomized controlled trials done on human subjects to test malunggay's efficacy as a galactagogue. The pooled results of these studies show a significant increase in milk volume in the mothers on their seventh day of supplementing their diet with malunggay.[11]
The facts above came from the most trusted sources of biomedical knowledge in the world: the US Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Library of Medicine; the National Institutes of Health; and ResearchGate.
Now if you're looking for the best malunggay supplements in the country, you can find them at The Parenting Emporium, a proud distributor of Mega Malunggay from VPharma.
At practically the same price per capsule as the leading brand (P9.50 vs. P9.15 for every 100 capsules), each Mega Malunggay capsule contains 100% more pure malunggay leaf powder (500 mg vs. 250 mg), unadulterated by any other part of the malunggay tree.
To purchase Mega Malunggay, visit The Parenting Emporium at 29 1st Street, New Manila, Quezon City. You may also have your order delivered by texting 0917-5614366.
REFERENCES
- Hsu R, Midcap S, Arbainsyah DWL. Moringa oleifera: medicinal and socio-economical uses. International Course on Economic Botany. National Herbarium Leiden, the Netherlands. 2006 Sep: 2-6.
- Razis AFA, Ibrahim MD, Kntayya SB. Health benefits of Moringa oleifera. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014; 15(20): 8571-6. Available from: http://www.apocpcontrol.org/paper_file/issue_abs/Volume15_No20/8571-8576%208.13%20Ahmad%20Faizal%20Abdull%20Razis%20[MINI-REVIEW].pdf
- Stohs SJ, Hartman MJ. Review of the safety and efficacy of Moringa oleifera. Phytother Res. 2015 Jun; 29(6): 769-804. Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.5325/abstract
- Anthanont P, Lumlerdkij N, Akarasereenont P, Vannasaeng S, Sriwijitkamol A. Moringa oleifera Leaf Increases Insulin Secretion after Single Dose Administration: A Preliminary Study in Healthy Subjects. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. 2016 Mar;99(3):308-13. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27276742
- Prabsattroo T, Wattanathorn J, Iamsaard S, Somsapt P, Sritragool O, Thukhummee W, Muchimapura S. Moringa oleifera extract enhances sexual performance in stressed rats. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2015 Mar 1;16(3):179-90. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25743119
- Abarikwu SO, Benjamin S, Ebah SG, Obilor G, Agbam G. Oral administration of Moringa oleifera oil but not coconut oil prevents mercury‐induced testicular toxicity in rats. Andrologia. 2016 Apr 1. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27071754
- Rahman MM, Akhter S, Jamal MA, Pandeya DR, Haque MA, Alam MF, Rahman A. Control of coliform bacteria detected from diarrhea associated patients by extracts of Moringa oleifera. Nepal Med Coll J. 2010 Mar;12(1):12-9. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20677603
- Das N, Sikder K, Ghosh S, Fromenty B, Dey S. Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf extract prevents early liver injury and restores antioxidant status in mice fed with high-fat diet. Indian J Exp Biol. 2012 Jun;50(6):404-12. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22734251
- Mylonas C, Kouretas D. Lipid peroxidation and tissue damage. In vivo. 1998 Dec;13(3):295-309. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10459507
- Bhatnagar M, Parwani L, Sharma V, Ganguli J, Bhatnagar A. Hemostatic, antibacterial biopolymers from Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd. and Moringa oleifera (Lam.) as potential wound dressing materials. Indian J Exp Biol. 2013 Oct;51(10):804-10. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24266104
- Raguindin PF, Dans LF, King JF. Moringa oleifera as a galactagogue. Breastfeeding Medicine. June 2014;9(6). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262917155_Moringa_oleifera_as_a_Galactagogue
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