NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
🟣

Mangosteen

Garcinia mangostana

Xanthone-rich tropical fruit, more hype than proof

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
9 verified / 9
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 1 cup, drained (196 g), canned in syrup

196gSERVING
  • Water 158.6 g81%
  • Sugars 31.6 g16%
  • Fibre 3.5 g2%
  • Protein 0.8 g0%
  • Fat 1.1 g1%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Fiber13%Vitamin C6%Folate15%Thiamin (B1)9%Copper16%Magnesium6%Potassium2%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
143 kcal0.8 g protein3.5 g fiber1.1 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Fiber3.5 g13%
Vitamin C5.7 mg6%
Folate61 µg15%
Thiamin (B1)0.11 mg9%
Copper0.14 mg16%
Magnesium25 mg6%
Potassium94 mg2%
Manganese0.2 mg9%
Riboflavin (B2)0.11 mg8%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Mangosteen?

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is a fruit used for antioxidant capacity: a xanthone-rich mangosteen beverage acutely raised plasma orac by up to 60% within 1 h in healthy adults (smaller multi-ingredient liquids showed ~18%). NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Human evidence for mangosteen is preliminary and dominated by small, often industry-linked trials of xanthone-rich juices, beverages or pericarp extracts rather than the fresh edible aril most people eat. Pharmacokinetic work confirms alpha-mangostin is absorbed (especially with a high-fat meal, though only ~2% appears in urine) and that the beverages transiently raise plasma antioxidant capacity. A few short randomized trials report lower CRP and favorable immune shifts, improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) in obese women, and adjunctive benefit of a topical pericarp gel in periodontitis, but sample sizes are tiny (often 10-60 participants), durations short, and several test multi-ingredient products (mangosteen combined with aloe, green tea and multivitamins) that confound attribution to mangosteen itself. There are no large outcome trials and no meta-analyses of clinical endpoints; much of the antioxidant/anticancer literature is in vitro or animal-based. The edible aril is also nutritionally modest, so claimed benefits hinge on concentrated pericarp xanthones rather than eating the fruit. Overall it is a pleasant, safe food, but marketed disease claims for mangosteen supplements outrun the human data.

Purported Benefits

✓Antioxidant capacity: a xanthone-rich mangosteen beverage acutely raised plasma ORAC by up to 60% within 1 h in healthy adults (smaller multi-ingredient liquids showed ~18%)
✓Anti-inflammatory/immune: 30-day supplementation lowered C-reactive protein and modulated immune markers (T-helper frequency, complement) in a small RCT of a multi-ingredient mangosteen product
✓Insulin sensitivity: 26-week mangosteen extract improved HOMA-IR vs behavioral therapy alone in obese women (small pilot RCT, n=20 completers)
✓Periodontal/oral health: topical pericarp gel as an adjunct to scaling/root planing improved pocket depth and gingival/bleeding indices
✓Bioavailability of alpha-mangostin: confirmed absorption and glucuronide/sulfate conjugation when taken with a high-fat meal (only ~2% recovered in urine)
✓Acne: topical alpha-mangostin nanoparticles improved lesions in a tiny 4-week split-face trial (n=10)

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
1 medium fruit (~3-4 segments of edible aril, ~40-60 g flesh); studied supplement doses use ~59-245 mL xanthone-rich juice/beverage or pericarp extracts, not the fresh aril
Active Compounds
Prenylated xanthones (alpha-mangostin, gamma-mangostin) - the signature bioactives, concentrated in the pericarp/rindGarcinones (C, D, E) and gartanins - minor xanthonesTannins and procyanidins (condensed tannins of the rind)Phenolic acids and flavonoids (epicatechin; anthocyanins give the purple rind)Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - modest amount in edible arilB vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, folate)Dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble in the aril)Minerals (potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese) in small amounts

Safety & Cautions

The fresh aril is generally safe as a food. Concern is mainly with concentrated juices/supplements: a published case of severe, refractory lactic acidosis followed daily mangosteen juice for ~12 months (possible mitochondrial electron-transport interference). Its antioxidant load may theoretically blunt some chemotherapy (anthracyclines, platinums, alkylators) and radiation, so avoid high-dose supplements during active cancer treatment. Alpha-mangostin and related xanthones can modulate several CYP450 enzymes (e.g., CYP1A2, 2C9, 2D6, 3A) in preclinical work, raising drug-interaction potential; possible additive immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus). Canned-in-syrup and juice products are high in added sugar - a consideration in diabetes. A theoretical antiplatelet effect warrants caution around surgery or with anticoagulants pending data. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Mangosteen with any medicine.

Key Studies

Systematic review (preclinical toxicity) Setyawati 2023 ✓ Full text
Systematic review of 20 toxicity studies estimated alpha-mangostin LD50 between >15.48 and <=6000 mg/kg and NOAEL between <100 and <=2000 mg/kg, framing its preclinical safety margin
Prospective randomized controlled pilot study Watanabe 2018 ✓ Full text
26-week mangosteen extract plus behavioral therapy improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR -53% vs -15%) in obese women with insulin resistance (20 of 22 completed), with no attributable adverse effects
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled split-face trial Pan-In 2015 ✓ Full text
Twice-daily topical alpha-mangostin nanoparticles significantly improved acne vulgaris in a 4-week, double-blind, split-face trial of 10 patients, with minimal irritation
Clinical pharmacokinetic trial Chitchumroonchokchai 2012 ✓ Full text
In 10 healthy adults, 60 mL 100% mangosteen juice with a high-fat meal led to absorption of alpha-mangostin with glucuronide/sulfate conjugation; only ~2% of the ingested xanthone dose was recovered in 24-h urine, indicating limited urinary excretion
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Xie 2014 ✓ Full text
A single 245 mL mangosteen-based functional beverage increased plasma ORAC by a maximum of ~60% at 1 h in 20 healthy adults, sustained >=6 h
Randomized controlled trial Kondo 2009 ✓ Full text
Acute 59 mL of a xanthone-rich mangosteen liquid (also containing aloe, green tea and multivitamins) raised plasma antioxidant capacity (ORAC) by a maximum of ~18% at 2 h, lasting >=4 h, with bioavailable alpha-mangostin
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial Tang 2009 ✓ Full text
30-day xanthone-rich mangosteen product in 59 healthy adults increased peripheral T-helper cell frequency and reduced serum C-reactive protein, with higher complement C3/C4 and IL-1alpha vs placebo
Randomized controlled trial Rassameemasmaung 2008 ✓ Full text
Topical Garcinia mangostana pericarp gel as an adjunct to scaling/root planing enhanced clinical periodontal outcomes (greater reductions in pocket depth, gingival index and bleeding on probing)
Case report Wong 2008 ✓ Full text
Case report of severe, refractory lactic acidosis after ~12 months of daily mangosteen juice, hypothesized to reflect xanthone interference with mitochondrial respiration
9 sources cited · 9 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Mangosteen

What is Mangosteen used for?

Mangosteen is most often taken for Antioxidant capacity: a xanthone-rich mangosteen beverage acutely raised plasma ORAC by up to 60% within 1 h in healthy adults (smaller multi-ingredient liquids showed ~18%), Anti-inflammatory/immune: 30-day supplementation lowered C-reactive protein and modulated immune markers (T-helper frequency, complement) in a small RCT of a multi-ingredient mangosteen product, Insulin sensitivity: 26-week mangosteen extract improved HOMA-IR vs behavioral therapy alone in obese women (small pilot RCT, n=20 completers), Periodontal/oral health: topical pericarp gel as an adjunct to scaling/root planing improved pocket depth and gingival/bleeding indices. Xanthone-rich tropical fruit, more hype than proof

Does Mangosteen work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Human evidence for mangosteen is preliminary and dominated by small, often industry-linked trials of xanthone-rich juices, beverages or pericarp extracts rather than the fresh edible aril most people eat. Pharmacokinetic work confirms alpha-mangostin is absorbed (especially with a high-fat meal, though only ~2% appears in urine) and that the beverages transiently raise plasma antioxidant capacity. A few short randomized trials report lower CRP and favorable immune shifts, improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR) in obese women, and adjunctive benefit of a topical pericarp gel in periodontitis, but sample sizes are tiny (often 10-60 participants), durations short, and several test multi-ingredient products (mangosteen combined with aloe, green tea and multivitamins) that confound attribution to mangosteen itself. There are no large outcome trials and no meta-analyses of clinical endpoints; much of the antioxidant/anticancer literature is in vitro or animal-based. The edible aril is also nutritionally modest, so claimed benefits hinge on concentrated pericarp xanthones rather than eating the fruit. Overall it is a pleasant, safe food, but marketed disease claims for mangosteen supplements outrun the human data.

What is the typical dose of Mangosteen?

1 medium fruit (~3-4 segments of edible aril, ~40-60 g flesh); studied supplement doses use ~59-245 mL xanthone-rich juice/beverage or pericarp extracts, not the fresh aril

Is Mangosteen safe? Any cautions or side effects?

The fresh aril is generally safe as a food. Concern is mainly with concentrated juices/supplements: a published case of severe, refractory lactic acidosis followed daily mangosteen juice for ~12 months (possible mitochondrial electron-transport interference). Its antioxidant load may theoretically blunt some chemotherapy (anthracyclines, platinums, alkylators) and radiation, so avoid high-dose supplements during active cancer treatment. Alpha-mangostin and related xanthones can modulate several CYP450 enzymes (e.g., CYP1A2, 2C9, 2D6, 3A) in preclinical work, raising drug-interaction potential; possible additive immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus). Canned-in-syrup and juice products are high in added sugar - a consideration in diabetes. A theoretical antiplatelet effect warrants caution around surgery or with anticoagulants pending data.

How many studies support Mangosteen?

NutriDex cites 9 sources for Mangosteen, graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/mangosteen

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_mangosteen,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/mangosteen},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

← Back to the full dex · All substances