Natural treatments for Crohn's disease
Natural treatments for Crohn's disease encompass various approaches aimed at managing symptoms and promoting remission of this inflammatory bowel disease. The primary focus is on nutritional support, as individuals with Crohn's often face nutrient deficiencies due to malabsorption and increased nutrient loss. Supplementation with essential vitamins and minerals is recommended to help restore these deficiencies.
In addition to nutritional strategies, several other natural remedies have been explored. Acupuncture, boswellia, fish oil, and probiotics have been investigated, though results have varied. While some studies suggest potential benefits from boswellia and the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, others indicate that common probiotics like Lactobacillus may not offer significant improvement.
There is also ongoing research into the effects of herbs like wormwood, which showed promise in one study for reducing medication dosage without worsening symptoms, alongside emerging evidence supporting the benefits of stress-reduction techniques such as yoga and relaxation therapies. However, many natural treatments require cautious use due to potential interactions with conventional medications. Overall, these complementary approaches may offer supportive benefits but should be considered alongside traditional medical treatments, with a focus on a comprehensive and individualized management plan.
Natural treatments for Crohn's disease
- DEFINITION: Treatment of a bowel disorder.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENT: Nutritional support
- OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acupuncture, avoidance of allergenic foods, boswellia, fish oil, glutamine, probiotics, wormwood
Introduction
Crohn’s disease is a disease of the bowel that is closely related to ulcerative colitis. The two are grouped in a category called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) because they both involve inflammation of the digestive tract.
The major symptoms of Crohn’s disease include fever, nonbloody or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue. The rectum may be severely affected, leading to fissures, abscesses, and fistulas (hollow passages). Intestinal obstruction can occur, and over time, fistulas may develop in the small bowel. Other complications include gallstones, increased risk of cancer in the small bowel and colon, and pain in or just below the stomach that mimics the pain of an ulcer. Arthritis, skin sores, and liver problems also may develop.
Crohn’s disease tends to wax and wane, with periods of remission punctuated by severe flare-ups. Medical treatment aims at reducing symptoms and inducing and maintaining remission.
Sulfasalazine is one of the most commonly used medications for Crohn’s disease. Given either orally or as an enema, it can both decrease symptoms and prevent recurrences. Corticosteroids such as prednisone are used similarly, sometimes combined with immunosuppressive drugs, such as azathioprine. In severe cases, partial removal of the bowel may be necessary.
Another approach involves putting people with Crohn’s disease on an elemental diet. This involves special formulas consisting of required nutrients but no whole foods. After some time on such a diet, whole foods often can be restarted, but only one item at a time.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
People with Crohn’s disease can easily develop deficiencies in numerous nutrients. Malabsorption, decreased appetite, drug side effects, and increased nutrient loss through the stool may lead to mild or profound deficiencies of protein; vitamins A, B12, C, D, E, and K; folate; calcium; copper; magnesium; selenium; and zinc. Supplementation to restore adequate body supplies of these nutrients is highly advisable and may improve specific symptoms and overall health. It is recommended that one work closely with a physician to identify any nutrient deficiencies and to evaluate the success of supplementation to correct them.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Several natural treatments have shown promise for Crohn’s disease, but none have been proven effective. In a ten-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the use of the herb wormwood appeared to successfully enable a reduction of drug dosage in people with Crohn’s disease. This German trial enrolled forty people who had achieved good control of their symptoms through the use of steroids and other medications. One-half were given an herbal blend containing wormwood (500 milligrams [mg] three times daily), while the other one-half were given placebo. Beginning at week two, researchers began a gradual tapering down of the steroid dosage used by participants. Over subsequent weeks, most of those given placebo showed the expected worsening of symptoms that the reduction of drug dosage would be expected to cause. In contrast, most of those receiving wormwood showed a gradual improvement in symptoms. No serious side effects were attributed to wormwood in this study.
Although these findings are promising, many treatments that show promise in a single study fail to hold up in subsequent independent testing. Additional research will be needed to establish wormwood as a helpful treatment for Crohn’s disease. In addition, there are concerns that wormwood might have toxic effects on some people.
The herb boswellia may have some anti-inflammatory effects. An eight-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 102 people with Crohn’s disease compared a standardized extract of boswellia with the drug mesalazine. Participants taking boswellia fared at least as well as those taking mesalazine, according to a standard method of scoring Crohn’s disease severity.
Fish oil also has anti-inflammatory effects. However, the evidence suggests it is not helpful for Crohn’s disease. A one-year double-blind trial involving seventy-eight participants with Crohn’s disease in remission who were at high risk for relapse found that fish oil supplements helped keep the disease from flaring up. A smaller study also found benefit. In contrast, a one-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that followed 120 people with Crohn’s disease did not find any reduction in relapse rates. Moreover, two well-designed trials, enrolling 738 persons, convincingly failed to find any benefit for omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in the prevention of Crohn’s disease relapse.
One preliminary double-blind study found indications that the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii may be helpful for reducing diarrhea in people with Crohn’s disease. However, two studies failed to find diarrhea-reducing benefit with Lactobacillus probiotics. In an analysis of eight randomized, placebo-controlled studies, probiotics were ineffective at maintaining remission in persons with Crohn’s disease. Lactobacilli have also failed to prove effective in helping to prevent Crohn’s disease recurrences in people who have had surgery for the condition.
Some evidence hints that probiotics might reduce the joint pain that commonly occurs in people with inflammatory bowel disease. Also, glutamine has been suggested as a treatment for Crohn’s disease, but the most meaningful of the reported studies on its potential benefits failed to find it helpful. Some evidence hints that acupuncture might be helpful for Crohn’s disease. Though it was once believed that food allergies might play a role in Crohn’s disease, studies have shown that, instead, people with Crohn's disease are prone to food allergies. Furthermore, Crohn's disease sometimes presents similar symptoms as food allergies, so patients may mistake Crohn's for allergies. Certain foods, like dairy products, have also been shown to cause flare-ups and discomfort in patients with Crohn's disease. Also, there is no meaningful evidence that avoiding allergenic foods can improve Crohn’s symptoms.
As the twenty-first century progressed, the medical community looked further into the effectiveness of natural treatments for Crohn’s disease. Some research suggested that adding prebiotics to diet in addition to the probiotics mentioned above could improve the function of interstitial bacteria. Aloe vera juice, slippery elm bark, chamomile, and peppermint were also being studied for the potential to relieve the symptoms of Crohn’s. Studies in the 2010s found curcumin and bromelain to be effective at preventing Crohn’s flare-ups. Other natural treatments being studied included the use of essential oils, apple cider vinegar, and medical cannabis. There has been emerging evidence that reducing stress and promoting relaxation through biofeedback, hypnosis, and yoga can help improve symptoms of Crohn’s and reduce flare-ups. The most effective natural method of managing Crohn’s disease is through a proper diet, drinking water, and avoiding bad habits, such as smoking.
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only with Caution
Various herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to treat Crohn’s disease.
Bibliography
Biggers, Alana. “Natural Treatments for Crohn's Disease.” Healthline, 10 Sept. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/alternative-treatments. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Bousvaros, A., et al. “A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial of Lactobacillus GG Versus Placebo in Addition to Standard Maintenance Therapy for Children with Crohn’s Disease.” Inflammatory Bowel Disease 11 (2005): 833-839.
Capobianco, Ivan, et al. “Adverse Food Reactions in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.” Nutrients, vol. 16, no. 3, 25 Jan. 2024. doi:10.3390/nu16030351. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Feagan, B. G., et al. “Omega-3 Free Fatty Acids for the Maintenance of Remission in Crohn Disease.” Journal of the American Medical Association 299 (2008): 1690-1697.
Marteau, P., et al. “Ineffectiveness of Lactobacillus johnsonii La1 for Prophylaxis of Postoperative Recurrence in Crohn’s Disease.” Gut 55 (2006): 842-847.
Nasu, Junichirou, et al. "Increased Incidence of Allergic Disorders and Elevated Food-Specific Serum IgG4 Levels in Japanese Patients with Crohn’s Disease." Allergology International, vol. 48, no. 4, 1999, pp. 247-251. doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-1592.1999.00140.x. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Omer, B., et al. “Steroid-Sparing Effect of Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) in Crohn’s Disease.” Phytomedicine 14 (2007): 87-95.
Rahimi, R., et al. “A Meta-analysis on the Efficacy of Probiotics for Maintenance of Remission and Prevention of Clinical and Endoscopic Relapse in Crohn’s Disease.” Digestive Diseases and Sciences 53 (2008): 2524-2531.
Rezapour, Mona. “Natural Remedies for Crohn's Disease: Supplements, Stress Reduction and More.” HealthCentral, 21 Nov. 2023, www.healthcentral.com/condition/crohns-disease/natural-remedies-for-crohns-disease. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Romano, C., et al. “Usefulness of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Addition to Mesalazine in Maintaining Remission in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease.” World Journal of Gastroenterology 11 (2006): 7118-7121.
Sethi, Saurabh. “Natural Remedies for Crohn's: Supplements, Oils, and More.” Medical News Today, 28 Apr. 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/natural-remedies-for-crohns. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Van Den Bogaerde, J., et al. “Gut Mucosal Response to Food Antigens in Crohn’s Disease.” Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 16 (2002): 1903-1915.