Here, Kate Harris, a product trainer at Health Stores UK Partner A. Vogel, asks ‘can yarrow help with IBS?’. Kate looks at latest research that has investigated yarrow’s anti-inflammatory and healing properties. And she advises on how consumers can safely take yarrow supplements for digestive complaints.
How the herb Yarrow can help ease the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Wondering how the herb Yarrow can help ease IBS symptoms? In this article, I take a look at how Yarrow can help with irritable bowel syndrome, including what research shows about its effectiveness at easing IBS symptoms, and how best to take it.
Can Yarrow help with irritable bowel syndrome?
Historically, the herb Yarrow has been used as a digestive aid. Nowadays, science proves that yarrow helps with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because of its ability to improve gastric secretions, along with its anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic effects in the gut. Yarrow also contains flavonoids and alkaloids, known to relieve digestive complaints.
How does Yarrow help with irritable bowel syndrome?
Common symptoms of IBS include stomach pain, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and excessive flatulence.
Yarrow helps with these symptoms because it can stimulate the entire digestive tract, supporting the flow of digestive enzymes and helping to remove waste. At the same time Yarrow has a calming anti-spasmodic action which helps with cramping and abdominal discomfort.
Let’s take a closer look at how Yarrow can help IBS, including what research shows about this supportive herb.
Yarrow supports the liver
Yarrow is known as a hepatoprotective herb. (1) This means it protects the liver from toxins. By unburdening the liver, bitter herbs help the liver to work more efficiently.
The liver plays a key role in many body processes, one of which is digestion; so, improving your liver function will improve digestion.
Yarrow is bitter
Yarrow is known as a bitter herb and bitters are great for IBS symptoms. They work by triggering taste receptors in your tongue to increase bile flow, known as a cholagogue in herbal medicine. (2)
