Coconut Water May Help Patients With Mild, Moderate UC Induce Remission

Coconut water, which has the basic properties of an anti-inflammatory, is an effective adjunct therapy for induction of clinical remission in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a recent study.

In a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, researchers evaluated the effect of coconut water on patients with mild-to-moderate UC. Participants in the study (n = 95) were randomly assigned to drink 400 ml of coconut water (200 ml, twice daily) (n = 49) or placebo (n = 46). Both groups of participants continued their usual medications for UC and there was no change in diet during the study’s 8 weeks. The primary outcome of the study was clinical remission.

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In patients who drank coconut water, clinical response (57.1% vs 28.3%), remission (53.1% vs 28.3%), and proportion of patients with fecal calprotectin < 150 μg/g (30.6% vs 6.5%) were significantly higher compared with those who received placebo. Additionally, adverse events were comparable between the two groups, and no patient developed hyperkalemia.

“Coconut water was more effective than placebo for induction of clinical remission in patients with mild to moderate UC,” the authors concluded.

Reference:
Kedia S, Virmani S, Bajaj A, et al. Coconut water induces clinical remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis: double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Published online January 24, 2024. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2024.01.013