Ways To Use Peppermint Oil
People can use peppermint oil in a variety of ways. It can be:
- applied topically
- diffused in the form of essential oil
- ingested orally in tablet or capsule form
- applied intranasally
Its important to be careful that you are not ingesting peppermint essential oil. You should always check with a doctor before consuming peppermint oil in any form or applying it topically.
How Do You Take Peppermint Oil
You can find peppermint oil at your local drug store or health food store. We recommend USDA Organic products, as this certification ensures they meet federal quality requirements.
Taking capsules is the more effective route as theyre typically diluted to safe doses, and their slow release ensures your body will absorb the oils. One to two capsules³ three times a day is the generally recommended dose, but this will depend on the product.
Always consult a health professional about peppermint oil to ensure its suitable for you, your health background and wont interfere with your current medications.
Choosing How And When To Take Peppermint
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Things To Consider Before Buying The Best Peppermint Oil Capsules For Ibs
Even deciding on an insignificant purchase can make you feel like choosing between the red pill or the blue one. But is the headache really worth it? Online shopping was meant to make our experience simpler, easier and enjoyable. But in reality it is quite easy to get confused on the decision which one to buy?
This is where our efforts come in! This list of peppermint oil capsules for ibs will surely save you valuable time and effort. However another question remains, what makes our compilation the best? Or on what basis you should trust this peppermint oil capsules for ibs list.
Is it virtually possible to know every detail of a product for making a perfect purchase? The answer is definitely NO, its not! Then how do you make the correct decision while buying peppermint oil capsules for ibs? Well, the complexity of selecting a single product from a sea of them can be simplified taking into consideration a few key metrics regarding the product.
We feed thousands of data to our AI regarding these products through advanced algorithms. Based on the relevant data i.e. brand, features, specs, ratings and reviews and many others a list of best peppermint oil capsules for ibs has been prepared by the AI.
Safety & Side Effects Of Peppermint Oil
Taken orally, PMO is considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration 14, as there have been very few adverse events throughout the research that has been done over the years.8
- The few adverse events that have been reported in studies were mild and didnt last long.
- One of the most common side effects of taking PMO is heartburn, which is thought to be helped by enteric-coated formulations. This coating helps to delay the PMO release in order to target the small intestine.
- Other potential but uncommon side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, asthma exacerbation, and atrial fibrillation15.
- There has been a concern for liver toxicity in rat studies because of a component of peppermint known as pulegone, however the standard dosing of PMO is far below the amount that regulatory agencies have deemed as potentially problematic.516
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Who Shouldnt Use Peppermint Oil
People who should avoid using peppermint oil include:
- People with G6PD deficiency. People with a specific enzyme deficiency, called G6PD deficiency, should avoid using peppermint as an extract or oil in aromatherapy.
- People taking certain medications. Peppermint oil aromatherapy can inhibit an enzyme called CYP3A4, which is responsible for breaking down many types of medication. If youre taking any prescription medications, talk with a doctor before using peppermint oil.
- Children and babies. You should avoid applying peppermint oil to the faces or chests of babies and young children. Side effects can occur from inhaling the menthol in peppermint oil.
Peppermint aromatherapy can also be toxic to pets like dogs and cats.
Peppermint oil comes from the peppermint plant. It has been used for many things, such as relieving:
What If I Take Too Much Peppermint
Since there is no standard recommended dose, talking to a healthcare provider before taking peppermint is important to ensure you don’t take too much. If you experience the side effects noted above, you may have taken too much, or you may be experiencing an allergic reaction. If so, you should seek medical treatment right away.
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How Do Peppermint Oil Capsules Work
Peppermint oil contains the active ingredient menthol.
It is thought that peppermint oil capsules have several actions on your gut.
Firstly, it works by relaxing the smooth muscle inside your gut. It does this by blocking the calcium channels .
There may also be some interactions with serotonin and opioid receptors in your gut, as well as a possible anti-microbial affect .
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 in particular, oral capsules are the most recommended form of peppermint oil, because research has suggested they are the most effective for medical purposes, McDougall states.
If you choose to try a peppermint oil, its key to know what to look for in an oral supplement. When it comes to swallowing peppermint oils, look for ones that are labeled therapeutic grade, since these are safer to swallow, Sonpal recommends.
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 warns.
The NIH echoes this caution, noting that oral peppermint oil supplements can have side effects of 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, the NIH states.
Be sure to consult with your doctor before adding a peppermint oil supplement to your IBS treatment regimen.
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Effect Of Fibre Antispasmodics And Peppermint Oil In The Treatment Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Systematic Review And Meta
- Accepted 24 September 2008
For Other Gi Conditions
Peppermint oil or menthol, one of its main chemical components, has been used in combination with caraway to remedy symptoms of functional dyspepsia. This condition is characterized by bloating, indigestion, and pain in the area of the stomach.
A 2019 review summarized the results of several studies involving peppermint, menthol, and caraway. Overall, this combination treatment appears promising in relieving symptoms associated with functional dyspepsia.
Another review of studies of herbal remedies for GI conditions in children and adolescents found that peppermint oil was effective at reducing the duration, frequency, and severity of abdominal pain when compared with a placebo.
However, peppermint oil wasnt effective in treating colic in comparison with simethicone drops.
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Can Ibs Patients Drink Green Tea
If you have IBS, you can use black, green, or white tea as an alternative to regular tea. Make homemade iced tea and store it in the refrigerator. When dining out, you should ask for unsweetened iced tea. Sugar, in addition to artificial sweeteners, can be added.
Is green tea helpful in the treatment of IBS? Why is green tea associated with disease? There are mixed opinions on the benefits of green tea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. While still minimizing any irritation, is a viable alternative to regular green tea for those who want to reap the benefits but avoid the risk of caffeine. Green tea, like other teas, does not have the same caffeine content as other drinks. Because most IBS sufferers intestinal environments are less developed, drinking lukewarm to hot drinks is generally healthier. Green tea without caffeine will still have the same benefits as green tea with caffeine.
People suffering from IBS are especially vulnerable to waste and toxins drinking water can aid in the elimination of these substances. If you are in a hot climate, limit yourself to eight cups of water per day. Matcha green tea contains three times as much antioxidants as regular green tea.
Reduction Of Colonic Spasm During Gi Procedures
As a consequence of its relaxing properties on smooth muscle, peppermint oil given via enema has been examined in two trials as a means to reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal spasm during administration of barium enema and possibly during colonoscopy.10,11 In a randomized controlled trial of 383 patients undergoing barium enemas, 37 to 41 percent of those who received peppermint oil experienced a non-spasm examination, compared with 13.4 percent of those who received placebo .10 In an RCT of 141 patients undergoing barium enemas, no residual spasm was evident in 60 percent of the treated group, compared with 35 percent of the control group .11
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Anticholinergic And Antispasmodic Agents
A meta-analysis of RCTs concluded that antispasmodics were superior to placebo in the treatment of IBS , with an NNT of 5.212 Overall, there was an improvement of abdominal pain and global symptoms in the pooled analyses however, the quality of most trials was low, results were heterogeneous, and publication bias could not be excluded. Moreover, only anticholinergic antispasmodic agents are available in the USA. Non-anticholinergic antispasmodics that appear to be efficacious include otilonium and certain selective calcium channel blockers .213
Peppermint oil is also efficacious for global symptoms and abdominal pain, and is usually well tolerated the NNT is 3 .212 A novel formulation, designed for sustained release in the small intestine, is available for use in the USA.214 The usual dose of peppermint oil is 180 to 200 mg 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals AEs include heartburn, perianal burning, and rarely interstitial nephritis.
Aviva Romm, … Angela J. Hywood, in, 2010
Peppermint Oil And Other Medications
Peppermint does not interact with most drugs. But you may wish to avoid taking peppermint oil at the same time as antacids â a type of indigestion medication. Antacids dissolve the outer coating of the peppermint oil capsule and may cause heartburn and nausea. You should take antacids at least two hours after peppermint oil capsules to avoid any interactions.
Peppermint oil may also boost the blood level of some medications. These include the antidepressant amitriptyline and the statin simvastatin . It is therefore best to consult your doctor to ensure it is safe for you to take peppermint oil.
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Peppermint Oil May Calm Itching
There are fewer robust studies examining the effectiveness of peppermint oil to treat itching from insect bites, poison ivy rashes, or healing scars.
But Ravindra says it’s a good alternative to topical over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams, which shouldn’t be used for more than two weeks because of potential side effects like skin thinning, discoloration, and acne.
Peppermint oil may help relieve itch because of its skin-cooling effects and by distracting the nerves around the itchy spot. Peppermint oil should not be applied to broken skin, Ravindra says, because it could burn or aggravate the wound further.
As A Preventative Approach
The second way I use peppermint oil for IBS, like IBGard, is before each meal to manage upcoming IBS symptoms. Again, evidence supports the use of encapsulated peppermint oil for IBS symptoms long term. Without any other nutrition changes IBS symptoms were found to be reduced by as much as 40%. So, this is a great preventative way to reduce IBS symptoms in a meal you know may cause them3.
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How Peppermint Oil Can Soothe Ibs Symptoms
So what is it about peppermint oil that makes it a potential IBS symptom reliever? Peppermint oil is a muscle relaxant. As such, it produces an antispasmodic effect, targeting specific symptoms of IBS, in particular pain, cramps, and bloating, says Scott McDougall, the director and a registered manager of the Independent Pharmacy in Bristol, United Kingdom.
When food is digested, a natural series of muscle contractions in the gut called peristalsis helps push food through your digestive system and urine to your bladder, McDougall explains. In people with IBS, the nerves that facilitate peristalsis are much more sensitive, and the inner wall of the digestive system reacts more strongly to certain foods that dont typically cause issues in people without IBS, he says.
Common foods that can trigger IBS symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic, include milk and dairy products, wheat, beans, citrus fruits, and carbonated beverages, among others. In people with IBS, the guts reaction to these foods often causes pain, bloating, and other symptoms, says McDougall.
Certain components of peppermint oil may calm the digestive pains common in IBS. The menthol in peppermint has a decompressing effect on the intestinal smooth muscle. This leads to pain relief for bloating and constipation, says Niket Sonpal, MD, an adjunct assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and a clinical instructor at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Chai Tea: Delicious And Fragrant But Watch The Fodmaps
Chai tea is a fantastic choice if you want a delicious and fragrant beverage that you can drink on a low FODMAP diet. It contains a small amount of FODMAPs, so avoid drinking it in the first phase of the diet if youre on the low-fiber diet. If you do add milk to your tea, make it only sparingly to avoid overconsumption.
I am a tea expert and professional herbalist and Ive been studying and practicing herbalism for over 10 years, teaching others about the healing power of plants for just as long. I have written several books on the subject of tea and herbalism, and I am always happy to share my knowledge with those who are interested in learning more.
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Is Tea Bad For Ibs
Caffeine can also cause diarrhea, one of the most common symptoms of IBS. Caffeine is available in a variety of products, including coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate, and some over-the-counter pain relievers designed for headaches, so be aware of the labels.
Tea can be a useful treatment for constipation in addition to relieving symptoms of IBS. As a result, peppermint tea may reduce the symptoms of bowel spasms as well as detoxify the liver. Turmerics anti-inflammatory properties have been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidation. Turmeric extract tablets were investigated to determine their effectiveness in treating IBS symptoms. Some researchers claim that turmeric may aid in the control of blood sugar levels. People with gallbladder problems, as well as those suffering from cancer, should consult with a doctor before taking turmeric. A tea bag can be used to make ginger tea.
Fennel may benefit people with IBS because it is thought to relax the intestinal muscles. Chamomile tea is a popular choice for relieving stomach upset. Stress is thought to be a cause of IBS, so it may provide some benefits. Fennel is not recommended for pregnant women, and it may interact with medications. Before using any herbal product, it is best to consult with your doctor.
How To Store Peppermint
Store peppermint oil in a cool, dry place. Keep peppermint away from direct sunlight. Discard after one year or as indicated on the packaging.
You can store fresh peppermint in the refrigerator. Keep the leaves fresh by wrapping the stems in a damp paper towel and placing them in a plastic bag. Alternately, you could put the stems in a jar of water. Fresh mint stays good for a few days.
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