Experiences with
Peppermint oil

Who it's forContraindicationsHow it's used (previously Dosage and administration)Side effectsInteractions

Peppermint oil is suitable for most adults and children aged 12 years and over, but always check before taking it.

Peppermint oil is not suitable for some people. For example, check with your doctor if you have liver disease or gallstones.

Peppermint oil comes as capsules that you take 3 times a day, 30 to 60 minutes before food. Follow the instructions that come with your medicine.

Side effects of peppermint oil include heartburn, indigestion and itching or irritation around your bottom. More serious side effects are rare.

It can cause problems to take peppermint oil with some medicines, such as antacids or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

Who can take peppermint oil

Most adults and children aged 12 years old and over can take peppermint oil capsules for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Some brands are only suitable for children aged 15 years old and above. Check the leaflet that comes with your medicine.

Who may not be able to take peppermint oil

Peppermint oil is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take it if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to peppermint oil, aspirin or any other medicine
have liver disease or gallstones
weigh less than 40kg (around 6st 5lbs) or are losing weight
are allergic to peanuts, peanut oil or soya (some brands contain arachis oil, so it's best to avoid those brands)
are 40 or over and have IBS, but have not had an attack for a while
have noticed that the symptoms you were taking peppermint oil for have changed
have noticed blood when you poo
have abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge
have difficulty or pain when peeing
feel sick (nausea) or are being sick (vomiting)
look paler than your usual skin tone, and feel tired
have recently had a high temperature
are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant
have digestive problems such as reflux disease, severe constipation or ulcerative colitis
have never had stomach cramps before
have recently travelled abroad

Dosage and how to take peppermint oil

The usual dose of peppermint oil capsules, for adults and children aged 12 years and over, is 1 capsule, taken 3 times a day until your symptoms get better.

You can increase this to 2 capsules, taken 3 times a day, if 1 capsule does not help your symptoms.

How to take peppermint oil capsules

It's best to take peppermint oil capsules around 30 to 60 minutes before food (which can be a meal or snack).

Swallow the capsules whole, with water. Do not break or chew them.

Leave a gap of at least 2 hours between taking a dose of peppermint oil and taking an indigestion medicine. This allows the peppermint oil capsules to work properly.

Side effects of peppermint oil

These side effects of peppermint oil are usually mild and do not affect everyone. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Prop your head and shoulders up in bed, so stomach acid does not travel up towards your throat.

If this lasts for more than a few days, speak to your doctor or a pharmacist and tell them that you're taking peppermint oil.

Ask a pharmacist to recommend a cream if it bothers you.

Tell your doctor if this does not go away.

Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. It's best not to drink alcohol.

Painkillers you can buy without a prescription, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are safe to take with peppermint oil. Speak to your doctor if these do not help or the headaches are severe.

Keep taking peppermint oil, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Peppermint oil and pregnancy

Although there is not much information on the use of peppermint oil in pregnancy, it is not expected to cause any problems.

Peppermint oil and breastfeeding

If your baby is healthy you can take peppermint oil if you need to while breastfeeding.

There's not much information about taking peppermint oil while breastfeeding but it's likely that only tiny amounts would get into breast milk. It's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.

It's very rare for breastfed babies to have side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, has any unusual symptoms, or if you're worried about them.

Keep breastfeeding as usual until you've got advice about your baby's symptoms.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines may affect how peppermint oil works.

Do not take indigestion medicines up to 2 hours before or after you take peppermint oil capsules. These include:

antacids like Gaviscon (alginic acid) or Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate)
proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole or lansoprazole
H2 blockers such as nizatidine or famotidine

These can stop peppermint oil working as it should.

These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take them with peppermint oil. For a full list check the leaflet inside your medicine packet.