Study on the effect of Ayurveda on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of Ayurvedic and conventional nutritional therapy in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 69 patients were randomly assigned to either Ayurvedic therapy (n = 35) or conventional nutritional therapy including a low-FODMAP diet (n = 34). Assessments were performed at baseline and after 1, 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome was IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS) at 3 months, with secondary outcomes including stress, anxiety, depression, well-being and IBS-specific quality of life. The results showed a significant reduction in IBS-SSS at 3 months in both groups, with a greater reduction observed in the Ayurvedic group than in the conventional therapy group. Treatment, patient expectations and baseline IBS-SSS jointly explained the variance in IBS-SSS reduction. Secondary outcome parameters did not differ significantly between groups and no serious adverse events occurred. The study suggests that both Ayurvedic and conventional nutritional therapies are beneficial for patients with IBS.