Research synthesisModerate evidenceModerate effect4 studies · 4 beneficial · 0 neutral · 0 harmful
Across all 4 studies, peppermint consistently showed beneficial effects on reducing abdominal pain, with moderate effect sizes reported in the highest-quality studies. The strongest evidence comes from a 2022 meta-analysis of 10 RCTs in 1030 IBS patients (RR = 0.76; NNT = 7). The evidence base is small and predominantly from clinical populations, with no consistent dose, form, or duration data available.
- Studied populations: adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); infants and children with abdominal pain or gut-brain interaction disorders
Caveats: Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Evidence base is small (only 4 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Two of the four studies focused on pediatric populations, limiting generalizability to all ages. No consistent dose, form, or duration data were reported across studies, making specific clinical recommendations difficult.
Generated Jun 16, 2026