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St. Johns Wort and IBS

St John’s Wort may prove beneficial for some people with irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, particularly if the IBS is accompanied by mild depression and anxiety.

At the moment there is no cure for IBS so any form of treatment is confined mainly to finding ways of coping with the condition on a day to day basis and controlling the worst of the symptoms. As the type and severity of the symptoms of IBS can vary quite considerably from person to person, there isn’t a single preparation, medication, treatment plan or even a diet that can be classed as suitable for everyone. This means that finding ways of obtaining relief is very much an individual affair involving a process of trial and error in order to find out what works for you.

Once you have received a proper diagnosis of IBS then the next step would be to identify possible treatment options that might alleviate the symptoms. If the symptoms are particularly severe then this of course would mean some form of medication, which can include laxatives, anti-diarrhoeal preparations, stool softeners, pain killers and possibly even low dose anti-depressants.

Why St John’s Wort?

Despite the fact that no one really knows what causes IBS, it is generally accepted that IBS occurs as a result of a disturbance in the interaction between the brain and the gut. Serotonin happens to be an important neurotransmitter that is present in both the brain and the gut and as St John’s Wort is able to influence serotonin levels it isn’t hard to imagine that it may prove helpful for IBS sufferers. Indeed, previous research studies have highlighted that some low dose antidepressants have been beneficial in treating IBS in some people, particularly the newer type of antidepressants known as SSRi’s or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.

St John’s Wort is a herbal preparation containing the active ingredient hypericum and it works in much the same way as SSRi’s by influencing the production of mood regulating neurotransmitters like Serotonin. Indeed, in Germany, St John’s Wort is prescribed more often than conventional drugs for the treatment of mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

So, if low dose SSRi’s are able to offer relief to some IBS sufferers then by implication it may be that St John’s Wort is able to do the same and this is exactly what some researchers have found. If it works for you then there is the added advantage that St John’s Wort being a natural product doesn’t carry the potentially serious side effects associated with conventional drugs.

However, if you are considering taking St John’s Wort for IBS then it is important to note that herbal remedies can be just as powerful as some drugs and St John’s Wort is no different. St John’s Wort can interact negatively with some types of medication and it can also increase sensitivity to the sun’s rays. Basically, it may not be suitable for everyone. Anyone embarking on a course of St John’s Wort should discuss the full implications with their doctor first.