Herbs and Supplements to Treat Crohn’s: Can They Help?

Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.

Many people look to herbs and over-the-counter supplements to fill in some of the nutritional gaps Crohn’s may cause.

“I think the most important thing is for people to take whatever medications their doctor prescribes them and have any supplements be secondary,” says Meira Abramowitz, MD, a gastroenterologist at the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

Recent studies show that certain herbs may be promising as treatments for Crohn’s symptoms. Dr. Abramowitz says that some studies have concluded that herbs like wormwood are safe to take. “They can help with intestinal inflammation, but still more research needs to be done,” she says.

Read on to learn which herbs and supplements may be helpful.

It’s important to note that there’s simply not a lot of high-quality research published about the use of herbs and supplements for Crohn’s — many of the existing studies are old, included a small number of participants, or used animals rather than humans.

Herbal approaches that may help improve Crohn’s disease symptoms include:

• Chios Mastic Gum A staple of traditional Greek medicine, the resin produced by the Chios mastic tree contains a large number of antioxidant substances. The gooey material is repurposed into gum for consumption.

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   In a meta-analysis, most of the eight studies concluded that Chios mastic gum may help regulate IBD and manage its associated symptoms because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These were small studies, however, and some used animals instead of human subjects.

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   “In my own practice, I’ve seen meaningful symptom improvement in patients using it under professional guidance, especially when gut pathogens or inflammation are involved,” says Naria Le Mire, RDN, a nutrition coach specializing in functional gut health based in Chula Vista, California.
• Wormwood One study placed Crohn’s patients who were on a steroid treatment on either 500 milligrams (mg) of wormwood three times a day or a placebo for 10 weeks as they tapered off steroids. After eight weeks, 65 percent of the wormwood group patients achieved close to complete remission, compared with none in the placebo group, despite the lack of steroids in both groups.

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   This study, however, was small, with 40 patients, and we're still in the early stages of understanding the safety and effectiveness of wormwood, Le Mire says.
• Aloe Vera This plant has been thought to change the immune system and have an anti-ulcer effect. In one small, older study from the United Kingdom, ulcerative colitis patients who received an oral dose of aloe vera gel had a greater likelihood of remission than the placebo group (30 percent versus 7 percent, respectively).

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   Le Mire says that, as with wormwood, researchers are exploring aloe’s gut-soothing effects and still don’t understand the plant’s safety and effectiveness. “Aloe needs to be used cautiously — some forms contain compounds that act like laxatives and can make symptoms worse,” she says.
• Tripterygium wildfordii Hook F This traditional Chinese medicine approach is widely used to treat Crohn’s disease in China. One review noted that it’s been shown to reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines to alleviate intestinal inflammation, and that it may help maintain immune balance within the intestine.

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   That said, “it comes with serious risks — including liver toxicity and reproductive concerns,” Le Mire says. “Because of that, I wouldn’t recommend it outside of clinical trials or specialist supervision.”

The researchers found that marijuana use was associated with decreased symptoms of IBD, primarily abdominal pain, though they noted that these studies were small. Also, there is currently no scientific evidence that medical marijuana reduces inflammation associated with IBD or that it improves disease activity, and research doesn’t support cannabis as a treatment for IBD.

“The research is limited, mostly observational, and doesn’t show it directly impacts inflammation,” Le Mire says.

If you use cannabis or are thinking of using cannabis for your IBD, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor.

• B vitamins Many people with Crohn’s have a B12 deficiency.

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   Abramowitz recommends discussing supplementation with your doctor, and if approved, taking B12 supplements to fight off weakness and fatigue.
• Iron Iron supplements might be recommended if your doctor notes a deficiency, because these levels also tend to be below normal in Crohn’s patients.

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   Iron is important to maintain proper hemoglobin levels, which deliver oxygen to all parts of the body, and keep energy levels normal.

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• Magnesium Crohn’s patients tend to be low in magnesium, and supplementing could improve symptom management and sleep quality.

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• Vitamin D Supplementing with vitamin D may be helpful, as deficiencies among people with IBD are common, with 35 to 100 percent of Crohn’s patients being deficient. Research has shown that doses of 2,000 IU per day can lead to improvements in the disease and a patient’s quality of life.

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   Vitamin D helps keep your bones strong and plays a role in your immune system, muscle function, and nerve signaling.

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• Calcium Common Crohn’s medications, such as corticosteroids, which are anti-inflammatory medications, can affect bone health, so supplementing with calcium (especially when combined with vitamin D) can fill in the gaps.

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“It’s important to note these supplements don’t treat Crohn’s directly, but they help correct or prevent deficiencies that often come with it,” Le Mire says. “When we restore nutrient status, we support the body’s ability to recover from flares, tolerate treatment better, and build a stronger foundation for long-term stability.”

When you seek out dietary supplements and herbal remedies for Crohn’s disease, it’s crucial to remember that such supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it’s best to speak to your gastroenterologist or registered dietitian before trying anything new.

To choose a quality supplement, check the label for USP, NSF, or ConsumerLabs Approved. This means the product has undergone third-party testing for quality and purity.

Abramowitz also stresses the importance of consulting your doctor before taking any supplements. “Since supplements aren’t regulated, I’m against patients just randomly using them from the health-food store,” she says. “Some could cause liver toxicity or result in other adverse health issues.”

• Supplements may help people with Crohn’s restore key nutrients they’re deficient in, or alleviate disease-related symptoms.
• Some supplements for Crohn’s are more commonly used to help with deficiencies, such as B vitamins and calcium, while others are considered complementary approaches in the early stages of research, such as wormwood, aloe vera, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, and Chios mastic gum.
• Medical marijuana is also used by many Crohn’s patients for symptom relief, but there’s very little research to support it as a treatment option, and some people report unpleasant side effects.
• You should always consult your healthcare team before you try a new supplement or medical marijuana to manage your Crohn’s symptoms.