?Peppermint is a familiar flavoring in a variety of foods and in such tasty products as gum and candy. In ancient Greece, peppermint oil was a common ailment remedy. And in our day, some studies suggest that it may indeed help reduce digestive symptoms.

What is it?

Peppermint oil is extract-ed from the stem, leaves, and flowers of the plant. Although the results of stud-ies are mixed, some findings suggest that peppermint oil helps relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—particularly gas, distension, and abdominal pain. Together with caraway oil, it eases some symp-toms of abdominal discom-fort—notably gastrointesti-nal (GI) spasm and feelings of fullness and bloating.

How it works

Laboratory studies show that the oil works by relax-ing smooth muscles in the GI tract. One downside of this effect on muscles is that it also relaxes the lower esopha-geal sphincter, which is the muscular valve at the lower end of the esophagus (the tube through which food passes as it moves from the mouth down to the stomach). That muscle is key to keeping acidic stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus.

A relaxed esophageal sphincter may lead to acid reflux disease. To prevent that from happening, peppermint oil can be taken in the form of an enteric-coated tablet. That way it will pass through the upper GI tract without being absorbed. Once it reaches the lower GI tract, it can produce the desired effects.

Peppermint’s effects are useful in relieving colon spasm when the oil is given as an enema for people under-going a barium enema and perhaps colonoscopy.

A word of caution

Although peppermint oil is well tol-erated at the commonly recommended dosage—0.2 to 0.4 milliliter (mL) 3 times a day in IBS trials—higher doses may cause side effects. These include allergic reactions, blurred vision, heart-burn, nausea, vomiting, and burning around the anus (following enemas). At excessive doses, peppermint oil may lead to kidney inflammation and even kidney failure.

Peppermint oil should not be used in infants or very young children, or by women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

From American Family Physician