11 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Specialty: Naturopathic Medicine

Dr. Millie Lytle is a member of the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NYANP) and sits on the Medical Advisory Board for the School of Applied Functional Medicine. She is the founder of Nat Med Coach, offering a weekly Virtual... more

A feeling of gassiness accompanied by nausea, bloating, and unexplained weight loss may indicate Helicobacter pylori infection. About 44.3% of the population around the world is affected by this microbe (1). Natural treatment of Helicobacter pylori mostly includes using ingredients with medicinal value to minimize the infection. In this article, you will know about Helicobacter pylori infection and how to manage it effectively with simple home remedies. Continue reading further.

  • What Is H.pylori?
  • Signs And Symptoms
  • Causes And Risk Factors
  • Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of H. pylori Infection
  • Healthy Diet For H. Pylori Infections
  • How To Prevent H. pylori Infections
  • Infographic: Foods To Eat To Prevent Or Reduce Helicobacter pylori Infections
  • Key Takeaways

What Is H.pylori?

Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori are bacteria that can enter your body and thrive in your digestive tract. After years, they can surface as sores in the lining of your stomach or the upper part of your small intestine. This infection may also lead to stomach cancer in some individuals.

H. pylori infections are quite common. These bacteria are found in the bodies of two-thirds of the worlds population. However, they do not cause symptoms in most people. Possible symptoms are discussed in the next section.

Signs And Symptoms

Stomach ulcers are one of the most prominent symptoms of an H. pylori infection. The other symptoms are mostly associated with ulcers. They may include:

  • Bloating
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Burping
  • Loss of hunger
  • Weight loss

In some cases, the ulcers can bleed into the stomach or intestines. This could be dangerous to your health. The symptoms of bleeding ulcers may include:

  • Bloody stool that may be dark red or black
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Fainting or dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Pale skin
  • Vomit that may have some blood in it
  • Severe stomach ache

While it is not common, some H. pylori infections can lead to the development of stomach cancer. This may cause a few symptoms like heartburn. Eventually, you may also notice other signs like:

  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Belly pain and/or swelling
  • Vomiting
  • Weight loss without any apparent reason
  • Feeling full after eating a small amount

Stomach ulcers were initially thought to be a result of smoking and consuming spicy foods. It was later that researchers found H. pylori to be the main culprit behind the development of such ulcers.

Lets look into the causes and risk factors.

Causes And Risk Factors

What causes an H. pylori infection to spread from one person to another is still not known. While these bacteria have coexisted with humans for many years, the infection was found to spread from one persons mouth to another. It may also spread from feces to the mouth. Infected individuals who do not wash their hands after using the loo can spread the infection to others through food and water they may have touched.

Once ingested, H. pylori can penetrate the mucus lining of the stomach, generating substances that neutralize the stomach acids. As a result, the stomach cells become increasingly vulnerable to the harsh acids. The irritation of the stomach lining due to H. pylori and the stomach acids cause ulcers in the stomach as well as the duodenum.

Factors that can increase your risk of developing an H. pylori infection are:

  • Living in or visiting a developing country
  • Sharing utensils with an affected individual
  • No or less access to hot water
  • Non-Hispanic African or Mexican American descent
  • Poor hygiene practices
  • Mouth-to-mouth contact
  • Sexual intercourse with an affected individual

As you can see, H. pylori infections can be transmitted from one person to another in a number of ways. There are many combinations of antibiotics and other medications available to eliminate the bacteria while reducing the ulcers.

Listed below are some natural remedies that can assist these medications in treating an H. pylori infection.

1. Probiotics

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You Will Need

Probiotic supplements

What You Have To Do

  1. Consume probiotic supplements along with prescription medications daily.
  2. You may also consume natural sources of probiotics like yogurt or kefir.

How Often You Should Do This

You can take this daily after consulting your doctor.

Why This Works

Probiotics can act as an adjuvant treatment in reducing the side effects of antibiotics taken to treat H. pylori infections (2).

2. Green Tea

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You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon of green tea
  • 1 cup of hot water

What You Have To Do

  1. Add a teaspoon of green tea to a cup of hot water.
  2. Steep for 5-10 minutes and strain.
  3. Drink it.

How Often You Should Do This

You can drink green tea two times daily.

Why This Works

Certain green tea compounds were found to exhibit a bactericidal effect against H. pylori strains. Hence, regular consumption of green tea may help in the prevention as well as treatment of H. pylori infections (3).

3. Honey

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You Will Need

1-2 teaspoons of raw honey

What You Have To Do

  1. Add one to two teaspoons of raw honey to your tea or juice.
  2. You can also consume raw honey directly.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times daily.

Why This Works

The antimicrobial properties of honey can be used to treat H. pylori infection. It may also reduce the recovery time when used as an adjuvant therapy with prescription medications (4).

4. Olive Oil

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You Will Need

1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil

What You Have To Do

Add a tablespoon of virgin olive oil to your favorite dishes and salads.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1-2 times daily.

Why This Works

Olive oil polyphenols exhibit bactericidal activities that can help in getting rid of antibiotic-resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori (5).

5. Aloe Vera

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You Will Need

  • 1 aloe vera leaf
  • 1 cup of water
  • Any juice (optional)

What You Have To Do

  1. Take an aloe vera leaf and scrape out the gel using a spoon.
  2. Blend the gel with a cup of water.
  3. You can also add any fruit juice or honey to the mixture for added flavor.
  4. Drink the juice.

How Often You Should Do This

Drink this aloe vera juice once daily or every alternate day for a couple of weeks.

Why This Works

Aloe vera gel exhibits antimicrobial effects against H. pylori. It may also work well as adjuvant therapy in combination with other antibiotics (6).

6. Licorice Root

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You Will Need

  • 1-2 teaspoons of licorice root
  • 1 cup of water

What You Have To Do

  1. Add one to two teaspoons of licorice root to a cup of water.
  2. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan.
  3. Simmer and strain. Allow it to cool.
  4. Drink it up.

How Often You Should Do This

Drink this 1-2 times daily for best results.

Why This Works

Licorice possesses anti-H. pylori effects that can help treat and prevent the infection (7).

7. Black Seeds (Nigella Sativa)

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You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon of ground black seeds
  • 2 teaspoons of raw honey

What You Have To Do

  1. Combine a teaspoon of ground black seeds with two teaspoons of honey.
  2. Consume the mixture.

How Often You Should Do This

Learn more

You can consume this mixture once daily until your symptoms improve.

Why This Works

A mixture of black seeds (Nigella sativa) and honey exhibits anti-H. pylori and anti-dyspeptic effects that can help in the eradication of H. pylori infection (8).

8. Turmeric

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You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 1 glass of hot milk

What You Have To Do

  1. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder to a glass of hot milk.
  2. Mix well and drink it.
  3. You can also take supplements for curcumin after consulting your doctor.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily for at least a week.

Why This Works

The major component of turmeric is curcumin. Curcumin possesses anti-H. pylori and immunomodulatory properties that may help in treating H. pylori infections (9).

9. Ginger

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You Will Need

  • 1 inch of sliced ginger
  • 1 cup of water

What You Have To Do

  1. Add an inch of sliced ginger to a cup of water.
  2. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Strain and allow the ginger water to cool down for a while.
  4. Drink the mixture.
  5. You can also add ginger to your favorite dishes or chew on it directly.

How Often You Should Do This

Consume this mixture 1-2 times daily.

Why This Works

Ginger contains phenolic compounds called gingerols that exhibit anti-H. pylori effects. Daily consumption of ginger may help inhibit the growth of H. pylori, especially the Cag A+ strains (10).

10. Oil Pulling With Coconut Oil

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You Will Need

1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Swish virgin coconut oil in your mouth for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Spit the oil out.
  3. Brush and floss your teeth as usual.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily, preferably every morning.

Why This Works

Oil pulling with coconut oil may be beneficial in getting rid of oral microbes due to its anti-H. pylori effects (11).

11. Lemongrass Oil

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You Will Need

  • 2-3 drops of lemongrass oil
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Add two to three drops of lemongrass oil to a tablespoon of coconut oil. 2. Mix well and apply it to your stomach. 3. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes and rinse it off. 4. You can also add a drop of lemongrass oil to a diffuser filled with water and inhale the diffused fragrance.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1-2 times daily.

Why This Works

Lemongrass essential oil possesses bactericidal properties against H. pylori (12).

The above remedies are best used in combination with prescription medications to treat H. pylori infections. Consult your doctor before going ahead with any of them to make sure that they do not interfere with your prescription drugs. Also, before you use essential oils, talk to consult with your doctor for the correct dosage. Application of non-recommended doses of essential oils may result in functional damage to the stomach and liver (13).

In addition to following these remedies, you also need to pay attention to what you eat to deal with H. pylori infections.

Healthy Diet For H. Pylori Infections

Foods rich in antioxidants are especially helpful in treating H. pylori infections by activating your immunity (14). They include foods rich in vitamin C like berries, bell peppers, spinach, and kale.

Citrus fruits also exhibit bactericidal effects against H. pylori, both alone as well as in combination with other antibiotics (15).

Broccoli sprouts are rich in a compound called sulforaphane, which is believed to exhibit anti-H. pylori activities (16). The fatty acids in olive oil may also help with an H. pylori infection (5).

Certain foods can also worsen the symptoms of your infection. So, what not to eat when you have an H. pylori infection?

Foods that may further worsen your condition and are best avoided include alcohol, spicy foods, carbonated drinks, fried/fatty foods, chocolate, coffee, and acidic foods. Acid reflux, which is a common symptom associated with an H. pylori infection, may also worsen with the consumption of these foods (17).

Here are some tips to manage and prevent H. pylori infections.

How To Prevent H. pylori Infections

You can easily avoid H. pylori infections if you maintain basic hygiene. As this infection can spread rapidly, you need to be cautious when you are in a developing country or in close contact with an affected individual.

Some individuals may not even realize that they are harboring H. pylori as the symptoms are not always evident. In such cases, the infection is not problematic. However, if you are diagnosed with H. pylori infection, it is best to get it treated medically to prevent complications from the disease.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments box below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to test for H. pylori?

H. pylori can be detected via various tests like a blood test, stool test, and a breath test. Endoscopy can also be done to detect H. pylori.

What antibiotics treat H. pylori?

Antibiotics that are used to treat H. pylori infections are Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, Metronidazole, and Clarithromycin. These antibiotics are often used along with proton pump inhibitors and other acid-suppressing drugs.

Can stress cause H. pylori?

Initially, psychological stress was also believed to trigger peptic ulcers. Later, it was found that H. pylori are the actual culprits behind such ulcers. Stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of this condition.

Is H. pylori a sexually transmitted disease?

Yes, H. pylori is a sexually transmitted infection. However, it can also spread via non-sexual ways like from infected feces to the mouth via contaminated food and water.

What will happen if H. pylori infection goes untreated?

An untreated H. pylori infection can cause complications like gastritis. It may progress to peptic ulcer disease or stomach cancer later in life.

How long does H. pylori treatment last?

The optimal duration of treatments to eradicate H. pylori is 10 days to two weeks.

Read more on: treatment