Information on Xango

XanGo is the business name of a company that sells mangosteen juice as a nutritional supplement, as well as an expanding line of related products. XanGo is a combination of of the words mangosteen and xanthone, according to Forbes Magazine.

Mangosteen and Xanthone

• Mangosteen, Garcinia Mangostana in the Latin, is the name of a tropical fruit. It is the size of a tangerine, with a purple rind and white pulp. It's not related to the mango. It grows only in tropical regions, and is common in Southeast Asia. When sold as a juice, it's usually combined with other fruits, says the American Dietetic website Eat Right.

  Xanthone "is a compound found in mangosteen fruit that may have antioxidant properties," says the Eat Right website. MayoClinic.com explains that antioxidants are "natural compounds in foods that may protect against certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."

Health Claims

• Although the parent company is careful not to make unproven health claims, the internet is replete with testimonials about the health benefits of XanGo. The fruit may have anti-inflammatory properties due to its xanthone content, but read anecdotal claims with discretion, as an online search will unearth stories of XanGo curing everything up to and including cancer.

Business Model

• XanGo is a multilevel marketing company based in Utah. A 2008 Forbes Magazine article called it "perhaps the nation's fastest-growing pyramid marketing company." It was founded in 2002 by Joseph and Gordon Morton.