Question: Dear Doctor,

I have been taking some of your products, but did not give up my Xango (mangosteen). I have seen xango do good things for a lot of people including myself. Since taking Xango you wouldn’t know I have CFS. The problem is that I just found out I have food allergies to 21 things. Wheat and baker’s and brewer’s yeast being the worse. But, I am also allergic to apple, cherry, organges, tangarene, cranberry and grapefruit. Since xango has some of these juices in it I am going to have to lay off of it for at least 12 weeks. Is your mangosteen juice just mangosteen?

Thanks

Linda Davis

Answer: Linda,

We offer a 100% mangosteen juice called Absolute Mangosteen. Xango is good but pure 100% Mangosteen is even better. Since it’s the mangosteen (xanthones) in the Xango that’s the key ingredient, why pay such high prices for a little bit of actual mangosteen (xanthones), when you can have a 100% version for a fraction of the price, plus there are no contracts.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

Related Product:
Mangosteen Elixir

Q: I had a quick question about the product Absolute Mangosteen which is what I ordered.

Do you use the ENTIRE fruit including the pericarp? I ask because the juice is sweet, and isn’t gritty or bitter. On the label it says that there is no added water.

When I throw actual whole mangosteen fruit into a blender and puree, it is quite gritty and tastes horrible – due to the extremely bitter pericarp. Your juice has the taste and consistency of mangosteen juice without the pericarp.

Xango juice (which is NOT pure mangosteen juice like Absolute Mangosteen) is much thicker, grittier, and bitter than your product which was surprising. I am planning on aggressively marketing your juice through my health clinic in Vancouver, BC and need to know the answers to these questions in case I’m confronted by vigilant Xango salespeople.

Thanks,

Roy Duquette
Managing Director
Duquette Strength

A: Roy,

“Xango is much thicker, grittier, and bitter than your product which was surprising.” Xango is bitter because of added citric acid and thick because of pectin and xanthan gum (It’s almost like making jelly). And why do they need to add, “Natural Flavor”, aren’t 10 “magical” fruits enough?

Absolute Mangosteen contains the entire fruit minus the insoluble fiber. Throwing the whole fruit in a blender will yield a lot of bitter compounds and a ton of fiber. Professional processing yields a more palatable and consumer friendly product. I am assuming that Canada allows the importation of Mangosteen, the US does not.

Let me know if this handles your questions.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.   

Reply back: Thanks for your reply Marcus. You have a great product line and I’m looking forward to carrying many of your products in my health clinic.

Just to clarify, Marcus, the MLM product Xango contains an unspecified amount of actual mangosteen juice in their “blended” product (most likely 20-40%), and they also use pectin and xanthan gum to artificially thicken the juice in an attempt to make it seem as if it is the insoluble fiber of the pericarp that is making it thick. Underhanded but clever at the same time.

They then add citric acid to create a slightly bitter taste to their product to give it a more comparable taste to the bitter pericarp of the actual mangosteen.

So how do you remove the insoluble fiber from your product without extracting all of the vital nutrients from the pericarp with it? How would the nutritional integrity of Absolute Mangosteen compare to the practice of consuming the whole fruit itself, including the bitter pericarp which is next to impossible to eat?

“I am assuming that Canada allows the importation of Mangosteen, the US does not.”

No, we don’t have any restrictions on the importation of mangosteen fruit into Canada. You can buy the fruit at many grocery stores in the area. But it’s super-expensive and not very practical since 90% of the fruit consists of the most extremely bitter taste experience known to man.

I am planning on promoting your product in my next seminar and need to be prepared to field all questions from Xango reps.

Thanks again for your assistance Marcus.

Roy Duquette
Managing Director
Duquette Strength

My reply back: Roy,

The fruit is macerated, filtered and the insoluble fiber is removed. Fiber contains no nutrient value.

I have been in the holistic field for almost 20 years and do not recommend getting into a debate with any rep, especially an MLM rep, it will be a losing battle. You will not change their minds and they will fight you. They will make you, your recommended product and the information you give them, wrong. My recommendation is to speak about a product from a personal point of view and if a question arises give them our website and or e-mail. These are just suggestions.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

Related Products

Absolute Mangosteen
Mangosteen Elixir

Question: What is the difference between your Mangosteen Elixir and Xango, which claims to have a patent on the fruit and the pericap?

Thank you

Richard Main

Answer: Richard,

Please read these posts (follow the link) and see if they help to answer your questions. If you have a specific question afterwards, e-mail me back.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

P.S. For kicks, e-mail Xango and ask them to send you a copy or a link to “their” patent. IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure you have a cushy chair, the last two years of National Geographic and Mad Magazine, and a stock pile of food because you may have a bit of a wait.    
 
Related Products:

Mangosteen Elixir
Absolute Mangosteen

Question: Hi,

I have a couple of questions about your Mangosteen product. I would like to use the mangosteen as a therapeutic agent. I have taken a product called Xango for a few weeks. I have not been able to determine how much mangosteen whole fruit is actually in the product. I see that yours comes in two ways, one, in its natural state, then pureed and juiced and the other is mixed with other berry juices. I do not know what mangosteen juice tastes like all by itself.

Also, would there be a therapeutic difference between taking the mangosteen only juice product to get the benefits of the mangosteen constituents over the “elixir” blended juice product?

I would like to know if there is anyone in your business who is familiar with the scientific research and findings regarding mangosteen by a Dr. E. B White from Utah and if so could make some comments to me about it.

Thank you.

Christina Ackerman

Answer: Christina,

I have not been able to determine how much mangosteen whole fruit is actually in the product.
——— “Xango is an MLM and as with most MLM’s they are about promotion not product. Xango, Freelife, and Mona Vie do not disclose %’s of juice but have tons of great stories and promotional tools.”

I see that yours comes in two ways, one, in its natural state, then pureed and juiced and the other is mixed with other berry juices. I do not know what mangosteen juice tastes like all by itself.
——–”Mangosteen tastes very ordinary by itself, nothing special.”

Also, would there be a therapeutic difference between taking the mangosteen only juice product to get the benefits of the mangosteen constituents over the “elixir” blended juice product?
——– “I prefer and recommend the blend 99% of the time.”

I would like to know if there is anyone in your business who is familiar with the scientific research and findings regarding mangosteen by a Dr. E. B White from Utah and if so could make some comments to me about it.
———– “I did a google search of that name and mangosteen and could not find anything. If you forward me a link I will take a look and e-mail back.”

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

Response back: Marcus,

Thank you for promptly answering all of my questions. Not many people do this so quickly and thoroughly. I will look for other references about Dr. E. B. White’s research on mangosteen and get back to you.

….Thanks again for your time and timeliness.

From CAOH Customer Service:

Q: I am a customer of yours. I would appreciate your response to this article, claiming xanthones do not survive pasteurizing in liquids.

Sincerely

H. Badal

A: Henry,

Thanks for the question. I always love having the opportunity to separate fact from fiction.

First, just because it is written doesn’t make it true! Where are they referencing their facts, I mean opinions from.

Second, It’s a membership only site, all about promoting their own products www.naturalxxxxxxxs.com/signup.html

Third, here are the real facts back by research, not spin, promotion, or an opinion. Why don’t they have anything like this on their site.

Facts about xanthones:

* The most plentiful natural source of xanthones is the mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), which contains over 30 xanthones. The mangosteen has by far the most xanthones of any plant. The pericarp of the mangosteen fruit contains the vast majority of the xanthones.

* Xanthones are some of the most potent antioxidants known. It is thought to be more potent than both Vitamin C and Vitamin E. In fact, many doctors refer to xanthones as “Super Antioxidants.”

* Xanthones are heat stable molecules. Unlike proteins, they won’t denature or lose their structure when heated.

What are xanthones?

Xanthones are biologically active plant phenols found in a few select tropical plants. Current research on xanthones suggests they are beneficial in helping with many conditions including: allergies, infections (microbial, fungus, viral), cholesterol levels, inflammation, skin disorders, gastro-intestinal disorders, and fatigue.

Xanthones have been found to support and enhance the body’s immune system. Xanthones also exhibit strong antioxidant activity which is beneficial for neutralizing free radicals in the body.

List of Xanthones in Mangosteen

Here is a list of all of the xanthones found in mangosteen that have been named. There are others that have not been named yet that I have not included in this list. Currently, there are 43 xanthones known to be in the mangosteen.

• BR-xanthone A

• BR-xanthone B

• Calabaxanthone

• Garcinone A

• Garcinone B

• Garcinone C

• Garcinone D

• Garcinone E

• Gamma-Mangostin

• Garcimangosone A

• Garcimangosone B

• Garcimangosone C

• 1-Isomangostin

• 3-Isomangostin

• 1-Isomangostin hydrate

• 3-Isomangostin hydrate

• Gartanin

• Demethylcalabaxanthone

• Maclurin

• Mangostenone

• Mangostanin

• Mangostanol

• Mangostin

• Mangostinone

• Mangostinone A

• Mangostinone B

• a-Mangostin

• b-Mangostin

• g-Mangostin

• Norathriol

• Tovophyllin

• Tovophyllin A

• Tovophyllin B

• Trapezifolixanthone

Medical Properties of Xanthones:

Research on Xanthones is ongoing. There are many results people report about health benefits from xanthones that cannot be explained by the science yet. This is likely due to the fact that only about 15% of known xanthones have been studied to any degree.

Some of the known benefits of xanthones based on recent research are:

• Anti-Fatigue – Helps boost energy

• Anti-Inflammatory – Helps prevent and reduce inflammation

• Anti-Aging

• Helps prevent cancer. According to a preliminary study, six xanthones have been found to be capable of killing cancer cells

• Helps lower blood pressure

• Helps lower blood sugar. Many people with type II diabetes have reported that it helps them to regulate their blood sugar levels

• Helps prevent infections – Bacteria, Microbes, Viruses, Fungus

• Anti-Diarrheal – In folk medicine, the pericarp of the mangosteen (most potent source of xanthones) has been used for centuries to effectively treat dysentery

• Anti-Parkinson, Anti-Alzheimer. Helps prevent dementia

• Anti-allergenic – Helps with allergies

• Eye Care – Helps prevents cataracts and glaucoma

• Helps protect the heart and cardiovascular system

• Anti-Obesity

I am glad that we still have you as one of our loyal customers. I hope this answered your question satisfactorily.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

Fruits of the Future?
Posted on: 03/12/2007
by Kyle Bradley

Below is an excerpt from Fruits of the future.

Apples, oranges and bananas are super fruits, but not superfruits. These conventional fruits have laudable nutrient profiles and will always be great, healthy options, but they may soon be competing on a large scale with more exotic fruits. “The term superfruits has gone from being a catch-all phrase used by manufacturers to refer to new, exotic fruits with high antioxidant properties to being an accepted category of products on the retail and consumer level,” said Alex Moffett, president of Renaissance Herbs.

Discussion of superfruits in the health arena has centered on their antioxidant capacities, numerically referenced as ORAC values, and the potential role they may play in chipping away at diseases great and small. Research on these compounds’ effects on the oxidization of cholesterol continues to mount, and manufacturers are meeting increasing market demand for these antioxidant-rich ingredients. Exotic sources such as pomegranate, mangosteen, goji, acai­, noni, camu camu and others are gaining acceptance because of promising research.

Superfruit Tutorial

Pomegranates’ (Punica granatum L.) antioxidant potential has been explored for more than a decade and, according to Paul M. Gross, Ph.D., pomegranate has been the subject of 35 medical research studies since 1990, including 27 reports within the past six years. The antioxidant compounds in pomegranate pericarp are known as punicalagins. Gross explained: “Chemically, punicalagins are considered tannins, which hydrolyze during metabolism to yield ellagic acid, a flavanol of the phenolic superfamily.” A 2006 study documented the anti-oxidative effects of pomegranate consumption on apolipoprotein e levels and cellular uptake of oxidized lipids in relation to atherosclerosis development in mice.1 Consumption of whole fruit pomegranate byproduct resulted in a significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesion size by up to 57 percent. Also, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol uptake was reduced by up to 19 percent. More recently, pomegranate antioxidants are being studied for their ability to help the body fight cancer. By tally of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), three studies on the efficacy of pomegranate consumption are in the recruiting stages; two will explore prostate cancer, and the third enlarging of the prostate.

Another exotic fruit generating interest is mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). As with other superfruits, varying parts of the fruit provide health benefits. According to Gross, “The purple pericarp [of the mangosteen], which is not considered edible, is a rich source for extracting antioxidant phytochemicals, whereas the interior flesh is valued as a juice or pulp product.”

Two primary xanthone extracts “garcinol and mangostina” have “potential as anti-inflammatory agents with preliminary evidence for inhibiting cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes and carcinogenic effects,” he said. A 2004 study explored the antiproliferative, apoptotic and antioxidative properties of crude methanolic extract (CME) from the pericarp of the mangosteen on human breast cancer cells.2 Researchers “found that antiproliferative effect of CME was associated with apoptosis on breast cancer cell line by determinations of morphological changes and oligonucleosomal DNA fragments”, and that the extract “has potential for cancer chemoprevention.”

Wayne Geilman, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Pure Fruit Technologies, added to the list of mangosteen’s abilities: “We found the xanthones in mangosteen are COX-2 inhibitors,” he said. If you stop that enzyme, you don’t get inflammation, and if you don’t get inflammation, you don’t get pain.” Other uses of mangosteen components include appetite suppression, and use in topical skin care products.

Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), also referred to as “Goji“, has also come to the forefront of exotic health foods for an extensive nutrient profile. Clinical trials involving wolfberry are spotty, but animal trials suggest potential benefits for humans. A 2006 study found the antioxidant polysaccharides in wolfberries reduce the risks of lipid peroxidation accelerated by free radicals in aged mice.3 Another 2006 study noted the fruit’s nutritional value in Chinese culture for addressing liver, kidney and vision problems, and found extracts of the fruit to have cytoprotective effects against reducing stress on the endoplasmic reticulum.4 Because the berries are originally from China and have been part of Chinese diets for thousands of years, indigenous literature regarding myriad health benefits of the berries has given formulators the initiative to bank on the berries’ nutrient profile, said Gross.

Noni fruit, from Southeast Asia, also has limited clinical research to date. However, the fruit’s use in Polynesian medicines for hundreds of years has been the catalyst for research. Despite being approved as a Novel Food by the European Commission in 2003, liver toxicology issues have been a marketing hurdle for manufacturers. A recent study found – no link between adverse effects on liver and consumption of Noni juice,” but cautioned that, “clinical data are essentially lacking.”5 The other significant issue with noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) is its foul taste. Tannins in ripened specimens impart a strong taste and odor to the fruit, so companies have developed processes for removing the tannins to enhance product taste.

Acai berries (Euterpe oleracea Mart) aren’t known for foul taste but, as with wolfberry, clinical research is limited. Two recent studies have, however, assayed the antioxidant capacities of both acai­ fruit and seeds. Both measured total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC), the first reporting: “The antioxidant capacities of all purple acai­ samples were found to be excellent against peroxyl radicals, good against peroxynitrite and poor against hydroxyl radicals compared with common European fruit and vegetable juices”;6 the second noting:

“The extracts exhibit good antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, similar to the capacity of the pulp.”7 The study showed the antioxidant capacity against peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals to be even higher, but concluded much of the antioxidant capacity of the seeds came from yet unidentified compounds. Camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) has been spotlighted for its high vitamin C and anthocyanin levels. Like several other superfruits, trials involving camu camu are scarce. Research on the bright orange berries has increased as companies have addressed consumer demand for all natural vitamin C sources and attempted to capitalize on innovative antioxidant source demand.

As with most of the fruits under the superfruits canopy, camu camu has much potential for scavenging free radicals, ultimately combating oxidation of cholesterol.

References

1. West BJ et al. “Noni juice is not hepatotoxic.” World J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jun 14;12(22):3616-9. http://www.pubmed.gov/. Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35. http://www.pubmed.gov/ . Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35.

2. Rosenblatt M et al. “Pomegranate byproduct administration to apolipoprotein e-deficient mice attenuates atherosclerosis development as a result of decreased macrophage oxidative stress and reduced cellular uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein.” 2006 Mar 8;54(5):1928-35.2. Moongkarndi P et al. “Antiproliferation, antioxidation and induction of apoptosis by Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) on SKBR3 human breast cancer cell line.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Jan;90(1):161-6. http://www.pubmed.gov/

3. Li XM et al. “Effect of the Lycium barbarum polysaccharides on age-related oxidative stress in aged mice.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Dec 28. http://www.pubmed.gov/

4. Yu MS et al. “Cytoprotective effects of Lycium barbarum against reducing stress on endoplasmic reticulum.” Int J Mol Med. 2006 Jun;17(6):1157-61. http://www.pubmed.gov/

5. Potterat O and Hamburger M. “Morinda citrifolia (Noni) Fruit – Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Safety.” Planta Med. 2007 Feb 7. http://www.pubmed.gov/

6. Lichtenthaler R et al. “Total oxidant scavenging capacities of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Acai) fruits.” Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2005 Feb;56(1):53-64. http://www.pubmed.gov/

7. Rodrigues RB et al. “Total oxidant scavenging capacity of Euterpe oleracea Mart. (Acai­) seeds and identification of their polyphenolic compounds.” J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Jun 14;54(12):4162-7. http://www.pubmed.gov/

Q: Hello, I am interested in your mangosteen drink. I am a severely depressed person, with heart disease/high blood pressure and am also very overweight. I also suffered a stroke in 2003. My question- can I take this with my medications? (I currently take 9 different prescription pills a day for the above medical conditions. I have been warned not to mix them with any herbal remedies. I saw a list of the juices and i am not allergic to them. Does this really contain only natural juices?
Thank you,
Gail D.

A: Dear Gail, Based on what you are telling me I can’t make a recommendation. The liability on my end is too great. I would show the ingredients to your doctor and see what he/she says.

I don’t know the meds your on or your history. Your MD will be the best choice.

Sincerely,

Marcus Ettinger DC, BSc.

Here are three informational videos on the benefits of mangosteen juice. Also provided is a link to our Mangosteen Elixir.

California Academy of Health’s Mangosteen Elixir is made with hand harvested, cold pressed mangosteen. To the pure mangosteen juice we add our own proprietary, blend of organic noni juice, goji juice, organic black cherry juice, organic cranberry juice, blueberry juice, organic raspberry juice, pomegranate juice and black elderberry juice. Mangosteen Elixir is a synergistic juice blend of natures most powerful and antioxidant rich superfruits.

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3

Dear CAOH, 

I just want you to know that your Mangosteen Elixir is the best out there!

Keep it up.

Rafe