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Herb May Ease Irritable Bowel

Q. I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Is there a home remedy I can take to ease the discomfort? I currently use Nexium every day.

I drink a lot of water and try to stay regular, but I am always uncomfortable. I am at my wit’s end. HELP!

A. Research from Germany suggests you may want to try enteric-coated peppermint oil. The investigator reviewed 16 clinical trials of peppermint oil for treating the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Two-thirds of the placebo-controlled trials showed that peppermint oil worked twice as well as placebo in easing symptoms (Phytomedicine, Aug. 2, 2005). There were side effects: peppermint oil can cause heartburn and rectal burning. But overall it seemed the enteric-coated capsules improved quality of life for people with IBS. One brand-name product, Pepogest, can be bought online.

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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