Can ulcer be cured with honey, milk and citrus mixtures?

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A claim that stomach ulcer can be cured with a mixture of lime, oranges, eggs, milk, honey and some other items has surfaced on the internet.

The claim which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user on the app, @Abdullahiabba_, stated that mixing a tin of milk, lime, oranges, eggs and honey will cure ulcer permanently if taken consistently in the morning and evening for three days.

The claim was posted on February 10, 2024, alongside an image of all the items needed. It further stated that if the ulcer is a chronic one, the mixture should be repeated for 7 days and he (the poster ) should be contacted if they need more details.

The caption read:

*PERMANENT CURE FOR ULCER* 1.Peak milk one tin 2.Pure honey two spoon (you can get it at islamic Chemist around you) 3.Two native eggs ( each is sold at 500 upwards) 4.Sweet orange two 5.Lime orange two All mixed together. After Mixing them together, you can share it into and take Morning and Evening, or you can take it all at once. You are going to repeat this process for 3 days straight, if your ulcer is very chronic then you will repeat it for 7 days. It cure Ulcer permanently. Pls Retweet for others to know and if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can send a DM.

The post have garnered over 164,000 views, more than 1,300 reposts, and over 1,700 likes as well as bookmarked over 1,400 times as of February 17, 2024.

Stomach ulcers which are otherwise known as peptic ulcers are open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine which is caused by an infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer, according to medical doctors, is stomach pain.

 

CLAIM

Ulcer can be cured permanently with lime, orange, honey, milk and eggs mixture.

 

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub prove the claim to be FALSE!

Citrus fruits like lime and orange are not advisable for individuals suffering from stomach ulcers as some people who have ulcer also have acid reflux which can relax the lower part of the esophagus, known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), doctors counselled.

A relaxed LES makes it easier for acid to back up into the esophagus and causes heartburn, indigestion, and pain.

Screenshot of the claim posted on X. INSERT: False verdict.
Screenshot of the claim posted on X. INSERT: False verdict.

Speaking with The FactCheckHub, Zuliah Abdulazeez, who specialises in reproductive and family health at the Department of Health Promotion, University of Ilorin, Kwara State noted that it is not advisable for ulcer patients to use orange and lime to treat themselves.

“Every ulcer patient should avoid acidic, greasy, spicy, fried foods and citrus fruits such as orange, lime, lemons and tomatoes. The emergency treatment for ulcer is antacids,” she emphasized.

Stomach ulcers are completely curable with proper treatment, she said. “Therefore, the patient should go to the hospital for diagnosis and treatment according to the doctor’s instructions.”

Eniola Owolabi, who is a medical officer at  063 NAF Hospital in Abuja, while agreeing with Abdulazeez noted that the claim is misleading.

“As an individual managing peptic ulcer, one of the crucial things to do is to avoid fruits from the citrus family or unripe fruits as they contain a high concentration of citric acid,” Owolabi maintained.

“So, saying that whatsoever mixture that contains lime and oranges cures ulcer is misleading,” she posited.

A study by the National Library of Medicine notes that honey can be used as an alternative treatment for treating gastric ulcer cause by NSAIDs and wounds. It however did not state or include the usefulness of eggs or citrus fruits as an alternative for treating ulcer.

The result of the study was also based on its antioxidant and cytoprotective activities.

In an article by WebMD, medically reviewed by Minesh Khatri, it stated that milk can’t help prevent or relieve an ulcer. Rather, it might make it worse by prompting your stomach to make more acid.

THE VERDICT

The claim that ulcer can be cured permanently with lime, orange, and eggs mixture is FALSE; ulcer can be cured permanently with the right medications prescribed by a doctor and not by taking citrus and acidic fruits.

Fact-checker at The FactheckHub | [email protected] | + posts

Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].

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