A social media user claims coconut water and fresh bitter leaf juice cure kidney and liver disease and low sperm count.

The claim is unproven

Coconut water and bitter leaf have nutritional and health value, they are not to be relied on as medication for treating renal and liver failure or low sperm count in humans.  

A Face book page, Natural Remedy Home, claimed that coconut water and bitter leaf juice can cure kidney and liver disease. The post made on March 2, 2024, also alleged that the remedy can cure low sperm count in three weeks or less.

According to Jo Williams, a registered nutritionist, in an article titled “The benefits of coconut water,” states that research on animals suggests that coconut water contains compounds that have protective antioxidants known as phytonutrients, which benefit animals, ranging from decreased cholesterol markers to improved liver health. 

Williams, however, warns: “If you have renal failure or kidney condition that requires you to manage your potassium intake, it may not be a regular source of hydration.”

Another study found that the bitter leaf could be used in managing diabetes mellitus. Traditional medical practitioners, herbalists, and local healers in West Africa recommend bitter leaves for their patients. The beneficial use of bitter leaf extract in animal nutrition in Nigeria has been well documented. 

However, according to the National Library of Medicine, the unrefined nature of the herbal preparations, coupled with the apparent lack of specificity or precision in the application of the plant in traditional medicine, could lead to overdosage of the herbal medicine, which can result in the accumulation of essential and non-essential plant ingredients in the human system. The accumulation can reach a toxic level, especially in the systems of people who rely heavily on unrefined herbal products, with severe consequences on their biochemical and genetic systems.

CONCLUSION

The claim that coconut water and fresh bitter leaf juice can cure kidney and liver disease and low sperm count is unproven as there is insufficient scientific research to back the claim.