Condition

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease in which the colon and rectum stay chronically inflamed and ulcerated, causing bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and urgency during flares. Resveratrol and curcumin have the clearest trial results: symptoms improved with resveratrol in one small trial, and inflammation went down with curcumin across three studies. Those studies were small, and the evidence for curcumin is limited, so it's too early to say how much either helps.

Sources: PMID 33960587

Supplements studied: 8
Graded outcomes: 3
Trials: 8
People studied: 2,269

Evidence by supplement

Strong
Moderate
Limited
Very limited

8 supplements

Resveratrol

Resveratrol: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms Small Improvement	Improves (the measure goes down)	Small effect	1 study	105 people
Studies that measured inflammatory bowel disease symptoms Efficacy and safety of biophenol-rich nutraceuticals in adults with inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases or irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic literature review and meta-analysisNutr Diet · PMID 33960587
	Quality of Life	Improves (the measure goes up)			105 people
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			105 people

Curcumin

Curcumin: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Inflammation Moderate Decrease	Improves (the measure goes down)	Moderate effect	3 studies	89 people
Studies that measured inflammation Oral supplementation of turmeric attenuates proteinuria, transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-8 levels in patients with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy: a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled studyScand J Urol Nephrol · PMID 21627399 Oral supplementation of turmeric decreases proteinuria, hematuria, and systolic blood pressure in patients suffering from relapsing or refractory lupus nephritis: a randomized and placebo-controlled studyJ Ren Nutr · PMID 21742514 Curcumin maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis: randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialClin Gastroenterol Hepatol · PMID 17101300
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		2 studies	89 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms Curcumin therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a pilot studyDig Dis Sci · PMID 16240238 Curcumin for the clinical treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials.Front Nutr · PMID 40196017

Spirulina

Anxiety Symptoms
Blood Pressure: improves
Depression Symptoms: improves

Spirulina: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People
	Anxiety Symptoms No effect		NoneNo effect		80 people
	Blood Pressure	Improves (the measure goes down)		3 studies	80 people
Studies that measured blood pressure Effects of dietary Spirulina on vascular reactivityJ Med Food · PMID 19298191 Spirulina maxima Decreases Endothelial Damage and Oxidative Stress Indicators in Patients with Systemic Arterial Hypertension: Results from Exploratory Controlled Clinical TrialMar Drugs · PMID 30544795 Antihyperlipemic and antihypertensive effects of Spirulina maxima in an open sample of Mexican population: a preliminary reportLipids Health Dis · PMID 18039384
	Depression Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	80 people
Studies that measured depression symptoms The effects of spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation on anthropometric indices, blood pressure, sleep quality, mental health, fatigue status and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis: A randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trialInt J Clin Pract · PMID 34107141
	Weight	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	80 people
Studies that measured weight Effects of spirulina supplementation on body composition in adults: a GRADE-assessed and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs.Nutr Metab · PMID 40528207
	Day-Time Dysfunction	Improves (the measure goes up)			80 people
	Fatigue Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			80 people
	Hip Circumference	Improves (the measure goes down)			80 people
	Sleep Disturbance Signs and Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			80 people
	Sleep Duration	Improves (the measure goes up)			80 people
	Sleep Efficiency	Improves (the measure goes up)			80 people
	Sleep Latency	Improves (the measure goes down)			80 people
	Sleep Quality	Improves (the measure goes up)			80 people
	Stress Signs and Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)			80 people
	Waist circumference

King of Bitters

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: improves

King of Bitters: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		2 studies	344 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms Randomised clinical trial: herbal extract HMPL-004 in active ulcerative colitis - a double-blind comparison with sustained release mesalazineAliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 21114791 Andrographis paniculata Extract (HMPL-004) for Active Ulcerative ColitisAm J Gastroenterol · PMID 23044768

Vitamin E

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: improves

Vitamin E: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	14 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms Rectal administration of d-alpha tocopherol for active ulcerative colitis: a preliminary reportWorld J Gastroenterol · PMID 18932276

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: improves

Cannabidiol (CBD): outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	60 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group, Pilot Study of Cannabidiol-rich Botanical Extract in the Symptomatic Treatment of Ulcerative ColitisInflamm Bowel Dis · PMID 29538683

Colostrum

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: improves

Colostrum: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	14 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms Use of the 'nutriceutical', bovine colostrum, for the treatment of distal colitis: results from an initial studyAliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 12390100

Psyllium

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: improves

Psyllium: outcomes studied for Ulcerative Colitis
Grade	Outcome	Effect	Size	Studies	People	Studies list
	Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms	Improves (the measure goes down)		1 study	102 people
Studies that measured ulcerative colitis symptoms Randomized clinical trial of Plantago ovata seeds (dietary fiber) as compared with mesalamine in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis. Spanish Group for the Study of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU)Am J Gastroenterol · PMID 10022641

Key findings

Inflammatory Bowel Disease SymptomsResveratrolImproves (the measure goes down)
InflammationCurcuminImproves (the measure goes down)
Anxiety SymptomsSpirulina

The Ulcerative Colitis Adjunctive Support protocol

2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements

Curcumin1–3 g daily with piperine or as highly bioavailable formulation
Probiotics (VSL#3 / High-Dose Multi-Strain)VSL#3: 450–3,600 billion CFU daily; or other high-potency multi-strain (100+ billion CFU)

See the full protocol

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Support alongside medical care. These supplements are not a treatment for Ulcerative Colitis. If you are being treated for it, talk to your clinician before adding one: supplements can interact with medicines.

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The supplement graded A or B for Ulcerative Colitis. Each opens the products we list for that supplement.

Grade B

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Studies cited

17 studies from PubMed

Rectal administration of d-alpha tocopherol for active ulcerative colitis: a preliminary reportWorld J Gastroenterol · PMID 18932276
The effects of spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation on anthropometric indices, blood pressure, sleep quality, mental health, fatigue status and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis: A randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trialInt J Clin Pract · PMID 34107141
Effects of spirulina supplementation on body composition in adults: a GRADE-assessed and dose-response meta-analysis of RCTs.Nutr Metab · PMID 40528207
Antihyperlipemic and antihypertensive effects of Spirulina maxima in an open sample of Mexican population: a preliminary reportLipids Health Dis · PMID 18039384
Spirulina maxima Decreases Endothelial Damage and Oxidative Stress Indicators in Patients with Systemic Arterial Hypertension: Results from Exploratory Controlled Clinical TrialMar Drugs · PMID 30544795
Effects of dietary Spirulina on vascular reactivityJ Med Food · PMID 19298191
Efficacy and safety of biophenol-rich nutraceuticals in adults with inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases or irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic literature review and meta-analysisNutr Diet · PMID 33960587
Randomized clinical trial of Plantago ovata seeds (dietary fiber) as compared with mesalamine in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis. Spanish Group for the Study of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU)Am J Gastroenterol · PMID 10022641
Andrographis paniculata Extract (HMPL-004) for Active Ulcerative ColitisAm J Gastroenterol · PMID 23044768
Randomised clinical trial: herbal extract HMPL-004 in active ulcerative colitis - a double-blind comparison with sustained release mesalazineAliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 21114791
Curcumin maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis: randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialClin Gastroenterol Hepatol · PMID 17101300
Oral supplementation of turmeric decreases proteinuria, hematuria, and systolic blood pressure in patients suffering from relapsing or refractory lupus nephritis: a randomized and placebo-controlled studyJ Ren Nutr · PMID 21742514
Curcumin for the clinical treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials.Front Nutr · PMID 40196017
Curcumin therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a pilot studyDig Dis Sci · PMID 16240238
Oral supplementation of turmeric attenuates proteinuria, transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-8 levels in patients with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy: a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled studyScand J Urol Nephrol · PMID 21627399
Use of the 'nutriceutical', bovine colostrum, for the treatment of distal colitis: results from an initial studyAliment Pharmacol Ther · PMID 12390100
A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group, Pilot Study of Cannabidiol-rich Botanical Extract in the Symptomatic Treatment of Ulcerative ColitisInflamm Bowel Dis · PMID 29538683

Evidence by supplement

Key findings

The Ulcerative Colitis Adjunctive Support protocol

Shop the evidence-backed picks

Studies cited

Related conditions

Supplement stack for Ulcerative Colitis