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
7 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Most Slippery Elm studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from high-quality randomised trials published 2002–2020 with a typical study size of 43 participants.
Based on 7 studies · 3 RCTs · 886 total participants
Confidence
ModerateWhat the studies found
By outcome
Pulled from 6 studies with measurable effects
Likely real effects
100%
across studies
People studied
886
typical study: 43 people
Strongest designs
3
0 pooled, 3 randomised
Showed benefit
100%
1/1 studies
Populations Studied
Newest study from 2020
Demulcent herbs including slippery elm provided mucosal protection and symptomatic relief in IBS and IBD.
Hawrelak JA et al. · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2020)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Slippery elm showed antioxidant effects relevant to IBD.
Langmead L et al. · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2002)