3 Health Benefits of Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva)

December 13, 2023 Agric4Profits

Slippery elm tree (SE), also known by its scientific name Ulmus fulva. Native Americans have long used it to make healing tinctures and salves that can help treat different kinds of wounds, as well as taken orally for the relief of cold-like symptoms and sore throats.

The SE tree is a medium-sized tree that can grow to be well over 50 feet tall, with spreading branches forming an open crown on top.

The tree’s bark is deeply split, gummy, and has a faint but distinct smell. Given that it produces a lubricating substance when combined with water, the inner bark is the part of the tree that is most frequently dried and powdered for medicinal use.

Slippery elm trees can live for 200 years and can be recognized by their slippery inner bark. This tree, also known by the names red elm, gray elm, and soft elm, thrives in lower slopes and flood plains with moist, rich soils, however, it can also grow on dry hillsides with limestone soils.

Despite their abundance and proximity to numerous other hardwood trees, SE trees have historically been mostly employed for medicinal purposes and are not significant timber trees.

3 Health Benefits of Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva)

SE trees are rare in much of the South of the United States, but they are prevalent in the Midwest’s corn belt and in the southern Lake States. From Maine west through New York, extreme southern Quebec, southern Ontario, northern Michigan, central Minnesota, and a few other places, they can be found growing.

As previously mentioned, slippery elm has a wide range of medical applications. Some Native American tribes thought SE would facilitate childbirth.

It was also used to treat sore throats and was drunk as tea. Iroquois people were known to treat infections, swollen glands, and eye ailments by scraping the slippery elm tree’s bark.

However, SE was not exclusively used for medical reasons. The Meskwaki used the bark as a building material for their winter dwellings’ sides and roofing.

One of the most adaptable trees on the globe, the slippery elm was utilized by numerous tribes to boil the inner bark and create fiber bags, enormous storage baskets, ropes, and cords.

Has slippery elm got any negative effects? Even while SE is typically well accepted, some of the supplements made with this herb may cause negative effects in some individuals, including nausea, frequent urination, increased bowel movements, swollen glands, skin blemishes, flu-like symptoms, and mild headaches.

It may hinder the absorption of other medications or plants since it covers the digestive tract. It may be better to take slippery elm two hours before or after other herbs or drugs you may be taking in order to avoid drug interactions.

SE should only be administered to kids under the guidance of a skilled professional.

When used by those who are allergic to its effects, herbal remedies can cause allergic responses, including skin rashes. So proceed with caution and consult your doctor, especially if you’re expecting, nursing, or taking any other medications.

Is daily use of slippery elm safe? Like other herbs, it’s beneficial to sometimes discontinue use. If required, try taking it for a few weeks, then take a few weeks off before starting again.

Research has shown that SE includes antioxidants and antibacterial compounds in addition to mucilage, making it an excellent treatment for wounds, burns, boils, psoriasis, and other exterior skin problems brought on by inflammation.

It is advised for anyone following an IBS diet because, like other high-antioxidant foods, studies suggest it may also help reduce inflammatory bowel diseases including ulcerative colitis.

3 Health Benefits of Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva)

1. Aids Digestion

Laxative properties of slippery elm? Although it functions differently from some other laxatives, it appears to lessen IBD, IBS, and constipation symptoms in both adults and children. You can use the fresh inner bark instead of or in addition to other natural laxatives.

In one study, the effects of two distinct formulations, both of which contained SE in addition to other herbs, on digestive function were examined.

Formula one was linked to a slight but significant rise in bowel movement frequency as well as declines in symptoms of IBS as straining, pain in the abdomen, bloating, and stomach discomfort.

The frequency of bowel movements increased by 20% in subjects taking formula two, and straining, bloating, and overall IBS symptom severity were significantly reduced. Stool consistency also improved. Both formulae ultimately produced gains.

In other studies, SE was also found to be effective in treating diverticulitis and diarrhea. Additionally, because it produces reflux and stimulates nerve endings, which results in an increase in mucus secretion, it may help guard against ulcers and excessive acidity in the GI tract. This not only benefits the majority of humans but also greatly relieves your dog’s suffering.

2. Reduces Oxidative Stress

The presence of phenolic chemicals in SE may make it a natural free radical scavenger and oxidative stress defender.

Antioxidants known as phenols have been demonstrated to trigger cellular responses that fight oxidative stress, a factor in aging, and a number of chronic diseases. Due to their inherent antifungal properties, plant phenolics also appear to aid in defense against infections.

3. Anticancer

In the 1920s, SE was first advocated as a possible treatment for breast cancer, including DCIS. Some people utilize the inner bark of SE as a herbal therapy to boost cancer prevention and recovery as well as to improve quality of life and side effects in those receiving conventional breast cancer therapies.

Although further research is required, slippery elm may benefit breast cancer patients as well as alleviate sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion when coupled with other herbs including burdock root, Indian rhubarb, and sheep sorrel (which collectively make up the supplement known as Essiac).

It may aid in reducing breast cancer discomfort because of its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.