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Marshmallow root

Supplement botanical gut
Aka: Althaea officinalis
Brands seen in Singapore: Frontier Co-op, Nature's Way, Nature's Answer, Swanson Vitamins, Oregon's Wild Harvest
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
A traditional mucilage demulcent — evidence is limited
Pros & cons
Pros
  • Gras in food amounts per the US FDA (lactmed)
  • Generally well tolerated in adults (lactmed)
  • Root polysaccharides form a bioadhesive layer
Cons
  • Gerd research on marshmallow root is limited
  • Allergic reactions reported, though rarely
  • No valid trials back the milk-supply use
Sources
  1. NIH LactMed (Drugs and Lactation Database, NICHD) — Marshmallow monograph, Bookshelf NBK501839, updated 15 May 2024 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Marshmallow is generally well tolerated in adults, with allergic reactions reported rarely. Marshmallow is 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS) in amounts found in foods by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”
  2. NIH LactMed — Marshmallow, Summary of Use during Lactation (data gaps) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “No data exist on the excretion of any components of marshmallow into breastmilk or on the safety and efficacy of marshmallow in nursing mothers or infants.”
  3. NIH LactMed — Marshmallow, purported galactogogue use · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Orally, marshmallow is a purported galactogogue, and is included in some proprietary mixtures promoted to increase milk supply; however, no scientifically valid clinical trials support this use.”
  4. Natural Products in the Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Komolafe et al., Nutrients 2025) — section 5.5, Marshmallow Root · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Althæa officinalis L., also known as marshmallow, is a medicinal plant belonging to the Malvaceae family … The root contains bioadhesive and mucilaginous polysaccharides that produce a protective barrier”
  5. Komolafe et al., Nutrients 2025 — limitations section on evidence quality · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “research on botanicals including marshmallow root, slippery elm, Myrtus communis, and Cydonia oblonga is limited, which reduced their usefulness for GERD treatments”
  6. HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), Annex A (118 rows) and Annex B (4 rows) — marshmallow / Althaea officinalis not listed in either (alphabetical neighbours 4. Adonis vernalis, 5. Antiaris toxicaria) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “The objective of this guideline is to highlight the substances of concern when used in HS and TM and is not meant to be an exhaustive list.”
  7. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 4.8 with Tables 4–5 (vitamins and minerals only — no botanical rows) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5.”
  8. iHerb Singapore — Marshmallow Root category page, default listing order · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “1 - 10 of 10 results: Frontier Co-op, Organic Marshmallow Root; Nature's Way, Marshmallow Root; Nature's Answer, Marshmallow Root Fluid Extract; Swanson Vitamins, Marshmallow Root; Oregon's Wild Harvest, Organic Marshmallow”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.