Peppermint Oil and Fiber Can Help Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The results of recent research into the effects of various medications on Irritable Bowel Syndrome in patients has just been published in the Nov. 14 online edition of the BMJ.

It was a meta-analysis and review of all randomized controlled studies comparing antispasmodics, fiber, and peppermint oil with placebo, or no treatment, in persons with IBS.

IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder that causes discomfort or abdominal pain, and it is common for sufferers to experience chronic bouts of diarrhea or constipation, or both. The exact root of the problem is not known, but messed up interactions between brain and nervous systems with the gut are involved, producing spasms in the colon.

In recent years, new drugs have been developed for the condition, but these are expensive and in some cases, a couple of drugs have been removed from the market and some have been found ineffective. Because of this, investigating simpler, less-expensive treatments may prove to be valuable. In this study, a total of 591 patients in 12 studies were subjected to treatment with fiber, twenty two studies (1778 patients) compared antispasmodics with placebo, and 392 patients (four trials) had been investigated for the effects of peppermint oil versus placebo. Read more