Supplement · Gut & digestive health
Peppermint oil (enteric-coated)
Enteric-coated peppermint oil has solid evidence for IBS symptom relief.
- Evidence
- Gold· human data
- Sources cited
- 1
- Last reviewed
- 22 July 2026
Enteric-coated peppermint oil is one of the better-supported options for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The coating carries it past the stomach to the intestine, where menthol relaxes gut smooth muscle and eases cramping.
Multiple trials and guidelines recognise it for reducing overall IBS symptoms, particularly pain and bloating. The enteric coating matters — plain peppermint oil can worsen reflux by relaxing the oesophageal sphincter — and heartburn is the main side effect.