Non-pharmacological treatments for Helicobacter pylori infection: a narrative review

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that infects over half of the world’s population, with a particularly high prevalence in low- and middle-income countries. This pathogen is directly linked to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric cancer. While conventional antibioticbased regimens, especially triple or quadruple therapy, have been widely used to eradicate the bacterium, antibiotic resistance, adverse effects, and high recurrence rates have created a demand for complementary treatment options. This narrative review explores the role of non-pharmacological treatments—dietary strategies, probiotics, phytotherapy, hygiene practices, and emerging alternatives—as adjuncts to standard therapy. A comprehensive search of articles published between 2015 and 2024 was performed using PubMed, PMC, and SciELO. The results indicate that non-pharmacological approaches, although not curative by themselves, may enhance eradication rates, improve patient adherence, and reduce reinfection risks. More standardized protocols and high-quality clinical trials are necessary to validate their effectiveness in clinical practice.