Mintec

What is Mintec?

Mintec capsules are used to soothe the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They have a special coating designed to delay the release of the active ingredient, the naturally occurring peppermint oil, so that it isn’t released in your stomach. (They’re called gastro-resistant capsules for this reason.)^[1] This has the benefit of both increasing the activity of the peppermint oil and causing fewer side effects.

IBS is a digestive condition. It can cause discomfort in the abdomen, leading to symptoms like pain, bloating and changes in bowel habits (like diarrhoea and constipation). Its exact triggers aren’t fully understood, but factors like speed of digestion, gut sensitivity, stress, and family history appear to be linked to IBS.

It’s important to know that while there isn’t a cure for IBS just yet, there are effective treatments available. Medications like Mintec are designed to help manage and control its symptoms and make it less intrusive in your day-to-day life.

How does Mintec work?

Peppermint oil, the active ingredient in Mintec, has several pharmacological properties, including antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. It works in two ways to relieve IBS symptoms:^[2]

1. It’s an antispasmodic agent, meaning it relaxes the smooth muscles in your bowel either through blocking calcium channels or through directly affecting the nerves.
2. It fine-tunes how intensely your body feels sensations like pain or discomfort (called visceral sensitivity).

The main active ingredient in peppermint oil is menthol, but there are more than 80 other ingredients in it. Peppermint oil is absorbed a little too fast into your bloodstream, which reduces its activity. For this reason, Mintec capsules have a special coating that delays the release of peppermint oil from the capsule, so that they allow about 70% of the total amount of oil to reach your colon. In a study involving 13 people, these capsules were found to increase the time it took menthol to reach maximum concentrations in plasma compared to non-delayed release forms (2 to 4 hours after taking Mintec compared to 0 to 2 hours after taking uncoated capsules).^[3]

What doses of Mintec are there?

Mintec is only available as soft capsules containing 0.2ml peppermint oil. The pills are half green, half white, and are packed in blister strips.

The dosage that you’ll be prescribed depends on how severe your symptoms are, but typically you’ll be advised to take one capsule three times a day. If your symptoms are more severe, your dose may be increased to two capsules three times a day.

How to take Mintec

Take one capsule three times a day, 30 to 60 minutes before meals on an empty stomach with a cold drink of water. If your symptoms are severe, your clinician might increase this to two capsules three times a day.

To make sure the medicine reaches your bowel intact:

• Don’t chew, crush or break the capsules.
• Don’t take Mintec within two hours of taking antacids or indigestion treatments (like Gaviscon, Rennie or Omeprazole). These can affect the capsule’s special coating, potentially causing it to dissolve too early, release peppermint oil in your stomach and trigger severe heartburn.
• Never take your capsule with hot liquids, as heat can also melt the protective coating too early.

How long does Mintec take to work?

Mintec capsules will start working in your body within two to four hours, , but it can take a week or two for you to feel the full effects.^[1] If your symptoms don’t improve after two weeks, you should ask your clinician for advice on what to do next.

What should I do if I make a mistake while taking Mintec?

If you take more Mintec capsules than you should, or if your child swallows some by accident, seek medical help immediately. Take any remaining capsules or packaging with you to let the medical team know what you’ve taken.

And if you forget to take a pill, just skip it and take the next one according to your regular schedule. No need to take two capsules at the same time to make up for the missed dose.