Q&A: Peppermint Oil for IBS

Q: I read somewhere that peppermint oil might help my IBS symptoms. Is this true?

A: It is indeed. In one study, Italian researchers gave patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) either peppermint oil or placebo capsules twice a day. After four weeks, three quarters of the patients taking peppermint reported a greater than 50 percent improvement in symptoms, compared to just 38 percent of those in the placebo group.

This supplement can cause heartburn in some people, so I suggest taking only enteric-coated capsules, which don’t break down until they’ve passed through the stomach. The dose used in most studies is one to two capsules containing 0.2 mL of oil twice a day. I also recommend a cup of fragrant peppermint tea after meals to aid digestion. Look for peppermint oil capsules and tea in your health food store. — JW

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