What Kinds of Peppermint Oil Do Experts Recommend?
Peppermint comes in a variety of forms, including oral capsules, topical essential oils, and diluted extracts for food flavoring. Peppermint can also come in the form of teas, but according to McDougall, “Peppermint tea is not manufactured with medical use in mind, and it has no proven effect on IBS.”
For IBS symptoms, oral capsules are the most recommended form of peppermint oil, because research has suggested they are the most effective for medical purposes, McDougall says.
If you want to try peppermint oil, it’s key to know what to look for in an oral supplement. “When it comes to swallowing peppermint oil, look for ones that are labeled ‘therapeutic grade,’ since these are safer to swallow,” Sonpal says.
You should also be aware that peppermint oil supplements can result in mild side effects. “It can cause acid reflux and heartburn, so it should be taken in moderation or under consultation with a doctor or pharmacist,” McDougall says.
Specifically, oral peppermint oil supplements can have side effects, including nausea, dry mouth, abdominal pain, and in rare cases, allergic reactions. Peppermint oil capsules that are enteric-coated are less likely to lead to heartburn.
IBGard is a specific peppermint oil supplement that Jill Deutsch, MD, recommends to many of her patients with IBS. “IBGard is marketed as a peppermint oil supplement that acts premeal to help reduce gastrointestinal spasm that can cause pain in relation to eating, which is a hallmark of IBS symptoms,” says Dr. Deutsch, who is a gastroenterologist and the director of the functional gastrointestinal disorders program at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.
It’s important to note that in the studies where peppermint oil was shown to improve IBS symptoms, participants took the supplement daily for four weeks, Deutsch says. In other words, it hasn’t been shown to work when it’s taken only on an as-needed basis.
Be sure to consult with your doctor before adding a peppermint oil supplement to your IBS treatment regimen.
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