Peppermint Oil May Ease IBS Symptoms

By Jo Cavallo
Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

An analysis of dozens of trials that looked at the effectiveness of peppermint oil, fiber and antispasmodic drugs in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), found that these older remedies were better at reducing the symptoms of IBS than newer medications.

The review, published in the British Medical Journal Online First, showed that only 26 percent of patients with IBS had symptoms when taking peppermint oil, compared with 65 percent of patients who were given a placebo (sugar pill), reducing overall risk of suffering from IBS symptoms by 57 percent. The data also found that psyllium-based fiber treatments such as Metamucil and antispasmodic drugs, especially scopolamine, which reduce muscle contractions and abdominal pain, were also effective.

It's believed that between five percent and 20 percent of people suffer from IBS, a disorder of the colon that causes a host of symptoms, including abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea and/or constipation.

Newer prescription medications are available to treat IBS symptoms, but the results have been mixed. For example, Lotronex, a medication specifically approved for the treatment of IBS symptoms, was taken off the market because of potentially serious gastrointestinal side effects. The drug has now been reapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but is restricted for use by women with severe IBS symptoms who have not responded to conventional therapy. However, the drug still carries serious side effects, including severe constipation or decreased blood flow to the colon. So caution must be used when taking the drug. Over-the-counter medications, such as laxatives and fiber supplements, also carry some unpleasant side effects like worsening abdominal bloating and gas from increased fiber intake and laxatives can become habit forming. Caution must also be taken when using these drugs.

Updated: January 14, 2010 Copyright © 2010 QualityHealth.com. All rights reserved.

Thanks for this. I had it so bad before my surgery that It impacted every decision I made. I was less social and more withdrawn. The surgery fixed my IBS. I would have the surgery again just for that relief alone