Natural substances like broccoli sprouts, mastic gum, and certain probiotics can suppress H. pylori and reduce stomach inflammation, but none has been shown to reliably eradicate the infection on its own. Standard antibiotic therapy clears H. pylori in roughly 62–89% of cases. The most studied natural approaches fall well short of that, with eradication rates closer to 30–38% when used alone. That said, several natural strategies have real value: some reduce bacterial load, others protect your stomach lining, and a few meaningfully boost the success of antibiotic treatment when used alongside it.
Why Full Eradication Matters
H. pylori infects about 60% of adults worldwide. Most people carry it without symptoms, but 10–20% eventually develop peptic ulcers, and 1–2% face a risk of stomach cancer or a rare type of stomach lymphoma. The bacteria burrow into the mucus lining of the stomach and trigger chronic inflammation that can quietly damage tissue over years. Suppressing H. pylori without fully clearing it may reduce symptoms temporarily, but it leaves those long-term risks in place.
A systematic review of herbal medicines for H. pylori concluded that none of them are supported as stand-alone therapy. The molecular mechanisms of most plant-based remedies are still poorly understood, and rigorous clinical trials remain limited. That context is important as you evaluate each option below.
Broccoli Sprouts and Sulforaphane
Broccoli sprouts are the most well-studied food intervention for H. pylori. They contain high concentrations of a compound called glucoraphanin, which your body converts into sulforaphane, a potent activator of protective enzymes in the stomach lining. In a randomized trial published in Cancer Prevention Research, 48 infected patients ate either 70 grams of broccoli sprouts daily (delivering about 420 micromoles of the sulforaphane precursor) or the same amount of alfalfa sprouts as a placebo for eight weeks.
The broccoli sprout group showed significantly reduced H. pylori colonization and less stomach inflammation compared to the placebo group. The effect was real but temporary: bacterial levels crept back up after people stopped eating the sprouts. This makes broccoli sprouts useful as a daily habit to keep bacterial load down and protect stomach tissue, not as a cure. You can find broccoli sprouts at most grocery stores or grow them at home from seed in about three days.
Mastic Gum
Mastic gum, a resin from a tree native to the Greek island of Chios, has a long folk reputation as a stomach remedy. In a randomized pilot study of 52 patients, two dosing groups took mastic gum alone for 14 days: one group at 350 mg three times daily and another at 1,050 mg three times daily. The lower dose cleared H. pylori in 4 out of 13 patients (about 31%), and the higher dose cleared it in 5 out of 13 (about 38%). For comparison, standard antibiotics cleared the infection in 10 out of 13 patients (77%) in the same trial.
Those are modest numbers, but they do show genuine antibacterial activity. Interestingly, combining mastic gum with an acid-reducing medication did not improve results at all in this study, with zero eradications in that group. Mastic gum is available as capsules and chewable resin. If you try it, the doses used in clinical research ranged from 1,050 to 3,150 mg per day, split into three doses.
Probiotics That Compete With H. Pylori
Certain probiotic strains don’t just support general gut health; they physically interfere with H. pylori’s ability to latch onto stomach tissue. Lactobacillus reuteri produces a surface protein that blocks H. pylori from binding to the receptor molecules it needs to colonize your stomach wall. Lab studies show this competitive blocking can reduce H. pylori’s binding ability by 78–85%.
Probiotics work best as a complement to other treatments. They can lower H. pylori density, reduce the side effects of antibiotic therapy (like diarrhea and nausea), and modestly improve eradication rates when combined with standard treatment. Look for products that specifically contain well-studied strains like L. reuteri or Saccharomyces boulardii, and take them throughout the course of any treatment rather than afterward.
Zinc Carnosine as an Adjuvant
Zinc carnosine (sold under the name polaprezinc in some countries) is one of the strongest natural adjuvants studied for H. pylori. A meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials found that adding zinc carnosine to standard antibiotic therapy raised eradication rates from about 67% to 80% on an intent-to-treat basis, and from 71% to 87% among patients who completed the full course. That improvement was statistically significant, and the supplement didn’t increase side effects compared to antibiotics alone.
Zinc carnosine works by protecting the stomach lining from damage and supporting mucosal repair. If you’re planning to take antibiotics for H. pylori, this is one of the most evidence-backed additions you can make to your treatment plan.
Manuka Honey
Manuka honey contains methylglyoxal, a compound with direct antibacterial activity against H. pylori. Lab studies using clinical isolates of the bacteria found a minimum inhibitory concentration of just 2.5% Manuka honey, with dose-dependent effects up to 10%. That means relatively small amounts can halt bacterial growth in a petri dish.
The gap between lab results and real-world stomach conditions is significant, though. Honey gets diluted by stomach acid and food, so it’s unclear how much antibacterial punch it delivers in practice. No large human trial has demonstrated that Manuka honey alone can eradicate H. pylori. Still, regular consumption is unlikely to cause harm and may contribute to a less hospitable environment for the bacteria, particularly the higher-MGO varieties (MGO 400+).
Licorice Root (DGL Form)
Licorice extract has been shown to prevent H. pylori from adhering to the stomach lining, a critical first step in colonization. It also supports the integrity of the mucus layer that protects stomach tissue from acid. Most clinical research since 2000 on licorice for ulcer disease has focused specifically on its anti-H. pylori properties.
The important distinction is between regular licorice and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). Standard licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which can raise blood pressure and cause fluid retention with regular use. DGL has this compound removed, preserving the stomach-protective benefits while eliminating those side effects. DGL is widely available as chewable tablets, typically taken before meals.
Curcumin’s Limited Role
Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, often appears in lists of natural H. pylori remedies, but the clinical evidence is disappointing. A controlled study in infected patients found that curcumin supplementation did not reduce the inflammatory signals produced by H. pylori in the stomach, and the researchers concluded it has “limited anti-bactericidal effect” on its own. Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory in other contexts, but it does not appear to translate into meaningful H. pylori suppression in living patients.
Reduce Salt to Limit H. Pylori’s Aggressiveness
One dietary change with strong supporting evidence is cutting back on salt. Research published in Infection and Immunity found that H. pylori adapts to high-salt environments by increasing production of CagA, one of its most harmful proteins. CagA is directly linked to higher rates of stomach cancer. A high-salt diet essentially makes H. pylori more virulent and dangerous, even if it doesn’t change the total number of bacteria in your stomach.
Processed foods, cured meats, pickled vegetables, and soy sauce are common sources of excess sodium. Reducing your intake won’t kill H. pylori, but it may lower the damage the bacteria can do while you pursue other treatments.
Putting It All Together
The honest picture is that no single natural remedy can replace antibiotics for reliable H. pylori eradication. But a layered approach combining several of these strategies can meaningfully reduce bacterial load and protect your stomach. A reasonable evidence-based combination might include daily broccoli sprouts, a probiotic with L. reuteri, DGL before meals, and lower salt intake.
If you do end up taking antibiotics, adding zinc carnosine and probiotics to your regimen has strong evidence behind it. That combination pushes eradication rates closer to 87% while keeping side effects manageable. Whether you choose a natural path or a conventional one, confirming eradication afterward with a breath test or stool antigen test matters. Leaving an active H. pylori infection untreated carries real risks that accumulate over years.