Crohn's Disease

4 Responses to “Natural treatments for Crohn’s disease?”

1. PharmBoy on July 29th, 2010 at 11:03 pm

   The fish oil you mentioned is the only natural treatment with any clinical evidence of benefit and there are mixed conclusions with the trials that have been done. One trial showed a lower relapse rate in patients with inactive crohn’s. However; there are many things the should be considered that may help with secondary complications. Crohn’s patients often have some nutritional deficiencies and should be have their Complete blood count, albumin, vit. D, vit. B12, folate, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vit. A, vit. E, and zinc levels checked periodically. Deficiencies of these can cause troublesome and significant complications on their own, and supplementation may be necessary.

   Unfortunately Crohn’s is one of those conditions in which the only medications that work, also have many side effects (i.e. coicosteriods) or possibility of more serious conditions (i.e. infliximab). One of the less toxic medications used to prevent acute attacks and maintain remission is mesalamine. It is generally well tolerated and has less side effects than its counterpart sulfasalazine. It does not help treat active Crohn’s however. Hope this helps!

2. natpractitioner on July 29th, 2010 at 11:28 pm

   Other things that are helpful are:

   1. Curcumin – This is an extract found in turmeric which has anti-inflammatory properties. You can put turmeric into most cooked foods. Studies have shown that adding a bit of white pepper can increase the effectiveness of turmeric by 2000%. The scientific explanation is that TNF-alpha elevation is part of the inflammatory process involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease. Curcumin, a flavonoid from Curcuma longa (turmeric) is a known inhibitor of TNF-alpha. An in vitro study found TNF-alpha increased intestinal permeability and curcumin inhibited the NFkappaB- induced-TNF-alpha-stimulated increase in intestinal permeability. Curcumin inhibits several of the cytokines and genes involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s Disease.

   2. Combined prebiotic/probiotic therapy – One study using probiotics (75 billion colony forming units [CFU] daily) and prebiotics (psyllium 10 g daily) showed that high-dose probiotic and prebiotic co-therapy can be safely and effectively used for the treatment of active Crohn’s disease.

   3. Herbal medicines – boswellia serrata and berberine have been proven effective in Chrohn’s treatment as well. Berberine is an active constituent of several botanicals, including goldenseal, Oregon grape, Coptis, and barberry

   Once you are already suffering from a flare-up, there are certain foods to avoid until you are feeling better. They include: alcohol (mixed drinks, beer, wine), butter, mayonnaise, margarine, oils, carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, chocolate, corn husks, dairy products (if lactose intolerant), fatty foods (fried foods), foods high in fiber, gas-producing foods (lentils, beans, legumes, cabbage, broccoli, onions), nuts and seeds (peanut butter, other nut butters), raw fruits, raw vegetables
   red meat and pork, spicy foods, whole grains and bran.

   Good luck.

3. Anthony on July 29th, 2010 at 11:38 pm

   As there is no permanent cure for this disease, treatment is usually directed at easing the patient’s symptoms and misery and battling any future complications. This is normally done by the doctors by performing periodical tests to find out the developments of the disease. This helps in anticipating, recognizing, subsequent treating and essentially preventing further complications. Antidiarrheal preparations help in reducing inflammatory flare ups in the intestine although anti-inflammatory medications are also given.

   Some herbal and homeopathic preparations have been found to be highly successful in alleviating Crohn’s disease symptoms. Herbal and homeopathic remedies address the underlying cause of the illness and are aimed at restoring the body’s self-healing mechanism and reducing the inflammatory response. They can help to provide a supportive platform and restore harmony and equilibrium in the affected body systems. These remedies are specifically tailored to the patient’s needs, not the symptoms.

   Some examples of herbal remedies used in the treatment of Crohn’s disease include Matricaria recutita, Filipendula ulmaria, Ulmus fulva and Sutherlandia frutescens. These or other herbs may be recommended alone or in combination – depending on individual needs– and can help to strengthen digestive health and address the problems associated with Crohn’s disease, without many of the side effects associated with the prescription drugs.

   Detailed info on these can be had here http://www.healthherbsandnutrition.com/remedies/c/crohnsdisease.htm

4. Beach on July 30th, 2010 at 12:36 am

   low dose naltrexone. its basically this underground FDA approved drug that has a cult like following because it works after everything else fails. especially works for autoimmune disorders like ms or crohns. no one advertises or researches it because the patent expired, so that means no money in it for drug companies and government has failed to research this in the 20 years it has been out. costs $1/day

   good luck trying to get a prescrption

Leave a Reply