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Article: Peppermint oil, fiber and antispasmodic drugs help many with irritable bowel syndrome.(Clinical report)
- Article from:
- HealthFacts
- Article date:
- January 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Center for Medical Consumers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Three inexpensive treatments work well for many people with irritable bowel syndrome, according to a new review published in the British Medical Journal. While peppermint oil, fiber and antispasmodic drugs have long been known to be helpful, uncertainties surround the supporting evidence. After evaluating 30 years of published research, the reviewers verified the effectiveness of these three treatments in comparison to placebo and found that peppermint oil may provide the strongest benefit.
These findings are of special interest due to the serious harms caused by two widely advertised prescription drugs for irritable bowel syndrome--Lotronex (ischemic colitis, ...