Can herbal or alternative remedies treat IBD, and can I replace my medication with them?
There is no herbal product, tea, or alternative therapy proven to cure IBD or to safely replace your prescribed medication. Some complementary approaches may help a little with symptoms or wellbeing, but the evidence is limited, and natural does not mean safe; some can interact with your drugs. The firm advice from IBD organisations is to keep taking your usual medication and to tell your IBD team before trying anything, so they can check it is safe for you.
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Many people look into herbal remedies, special teas, or therapies they have heard about. Exploring them is reasonable, but two things need to be clear from the start.
"Complementary," not "alternative"
The evidence that these approaches help IBD is limited. Crohn's & Colitis UK says there is "some limited evidence that some of these therapies may help manage Crohn's and Colitis symptoms. But there is not enough to recommend them as treatments" (Crohn's & Colitis UK). In practice, the great majority of people who use herbal remedies keep taking their conventional medication alongside them. One review found more than 90 percent of IBD patients continued their usual medication unchanged while using complementary therapies (Gastroenterology & Hepatology review). The role is to sit alongside treatment, not to replace it.
Do not stop your medication
This is the important part. There is no herbal cure, tea, or therapy shown to cure IBD or to safely replace your prescribed treatment. Stopping your medication to rely on one of these instead risks a flare and complications. If anyone promises a "natural cure" for IBD, treat that as a warning sign.
"Natural" does not mean harmless
Crohn's & Colitis UK is blunt: "any substance you take may not be safe or effective. This includes those you may think of as being natural remedies" (Crohn's & Colitis UK). Some supplements can interact with IBD drugs. That is why the standing advice is to tell your IBD team before you try any complementary therapy, so they can check it will not affect your treatment.