We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we’ll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies

Sle3.5

Slippery Elm Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

6 peer-reviewed studies

What the evidence says

Mostly mechanism / observational

Most Slippery Elm studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.

Most evidence is from medium-quality randomised trials published 2002–2020 with a typical study size of 43 participants.

Based on 6 studies · 3 RCTs · 606 total participants

Confidence

Moderate confidence

What the studies found

1helped· 5 more without graded effect data

By outcome

Digestive healthDemulcent traditionally used for GI comfort; only weak, multi-herb trial data · 1-3 weeks
Mostly mechanism / observational5 studies
Therapeutic & clinical
Too few graded studies2 studies
Safety profile
Too few graded studies2 studies
InflammationAntioxidant activity seen only in vitro; no clinical anti-inflammatory evidence · Immediate to 1 week
Too few graded studies1 study
Weight management
Too few graded studies1 study
Depression & mood
Too few graded studies1 study

By the numbers

Pulled from 5 studies with measurable effects

Likely real effects

100%

across studies

People studied

606

typical study: 43 people

Strongest designs

0 pooled, 3 randomised

Showed benefit

100%

1/1 studies

Populations Studied

Australian adults with digestive disorders1

Healthy adult females1

Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome1

Women with breast cancer1

Older research base

Newest study from 2020

200220112020

1Systematic ReviewCited 7×2019

This landscape of popular treatments nevertheless raises several interesting mechanistic hypotheses and compelling opportunities for future research.

Ahuja A et al. · Current gastroenterology reports (2019)

Systematic review examining Slippery Elm efficacy
Further research warranted to confirm findings

View source

2Intestinal permeability recoveryRCTCited 32×n=43 · small study2020

All participants with normal stool, 90% with hard stool, and 66% with soft stool recovered from intestinal permeability, evident by normal lactulose to mannitol ratios.

Ried K et al. · Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) (2020)

Huge benefit

← WorseNo effectBetter →

All participants with normal stool, 90% with hard stool, and 66% with soft stool recovered from intestinal permeability, evident by normal lactulose to mannitol ratios.

View source Free full text

3Body composition and gastrointestinal symptomsRCTCited 2×n=22 · very small study2019

These results indicate that consuming a commercially available dietary supplement that purportedly provides detoxification and body composition benefits is apparently safe in healthy young adult females but does not provide any beneficial effects for body composition or gastrointestinal symptoms.

Tinsley G et al. · Journal of dietary supplements (2019)

Body composition, waist circumferences, symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, and blood safety markers were evaluated before and after supplementation.
Twenty-two participants completed the study, and data were analyzed via two-way mixed ANOVA and t tests.
These results indicate that consuming a commercially available dietary supplement that purportedly provides detoxification and body composition benefits is apparently safe in healthy young adult females but does not provide any beneficial effects for body composition or gastrointestinal symptoms.

View source

4IBS symptoms improvementRCTCited 15×n=31 · small study2010

The DA-IBS formula was not effective in improving bowel habit in individuals with diarrhea-predominant or alternating bowel habit IBS, although it did significantly improve a number of IBS symptoms.

Hawrelak JA et al. · Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) (2010)

Likely real

Ingestion of the DA-IBS formula was associated with a small, but significant increase in bowel movement frequency (p = 0.027).
Subjects in the DA-IBS group also experienced reductions in straining (p = 0.004), abdominal pain (p = 0.006), bloating (p < 0.0001), flatulence (p = 0.0001), and global IBS symptoms (p = 0.002) during the treatment phase of the trial.
The DA-IBS formula was not effective in improving bowel habit in individuals with diarrhea-predominant or alternating bowel habit IBS, although it did significantly improve a number of IBS symptoms.

View source Free full text

5HR-QOL and mood statesObservationalCited 17×n=510 · large study2006

Essiac does not appear to improve HR-QOL or mood states.

Zick SM et al. · Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) (2006)

This might be attributed to the fact that the group of users comprised younger women with more advanced stages of breast cancer, and both of these subgroups of patients have been shown to be at a significantly increased risk for negative mood states and/or a decreased sense of well-being.
Essiac does not appear to improve HR-QOL or mood states.
Future studies are needed to determine whether other clinical outcomes, such as cancer reoccurrence, are affected by Essiac.

View source Free full text

6Antioxidant activityIn Vitro2002

Like 5-ASA, all herbs, except fenugreek, scavenged superoxide dose-dependently.

Langmead L et al. · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2002)

Slippery elm, fenugreek, devil's claw, tormentil and wei tong ning merit formal evaluation as novel therapies in inflammatory bowel disease.
Oxygen radical release from biopsies was reduced after incubation in all herbs except Mexican yam, and by 5-ASA.
In vitro study using cell-free oxidant systems and inflamed colorectal biopsies

View source Free full text

View in Research Library

Slippery Elm Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

By the numbers

Popular Remedies for Esophageal Symptoms: a Critical Appraisal

Herbal formula improves upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms and gut health in Australian adults with digestive disorders

A Purported Detoxification Supplement Does Not Improve Body Composition, Waist Circumference, Blood Markers, or Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Healthy Adult Females

Effects of two natural medicine formulations on irritable bowel syndrome symptoms: a pilot study

Trial of Essiac to ascertain its effect in women with breast cancer (TEA-BC)

Antioxidant effects of herbal therapies used by patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an in vitro study