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J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 Jul 30;32(3):429-437. doi: 10.5056/jnm25137. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIMS: : Food is thought to play a central role in the pathophysiology of disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). Data on these associations come largely from Western countries. We evaluated associations between diet and common bowel DGBI using the database of the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study (RFGES). METHODS: : The RFGES database contains data collected via the Internet, personal interviews, or both from 33 countries, providing prevalence rates for common DGBI. Logistic regressions were used to analyze associations between DGBI and vegan, vegetarian, lactose-f…

Rev Gastroenterol Peru. 2026 Apr-Jun;46(2):175-187. ABSTRACT Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits, with a substantial impact on quality of life and healthcare systems. In recent years, the gut microbiota has emerged as a central component in its pathophysiology. Patients with IBS exhibit alterations in microbial diversity and composition -known as dysbiosis- that vary according to clinical subtype: diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant, or mixed. These alterations are associated with intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, low-grade …

Gut. 2026 Jul 25:gutjnl-2026-338385. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2026-338385. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hypnotherapy is an evidence-based therapy recommended for IBS, but access to therapist-led hypnotherapy is limited by costs and availability. OBJECTIVE: We studied the effectiveness of smartphone-based self-guided hypnotherapy versus in-person therapist-delivered hypnotherapy. DESIGN: This multicentre, three-armed non-inferiority randomised controlled trial (RCT) included patients with IBS (Rome IV, 16-75 years). Patients were randomised to 12-week in-person therapist-delivered hypnotherapy, smartphone-based self-guided hypnotherapy or online self-guided psych…

Ther Adv Gastroenterol. 2026 Jul 16;19:17562848261469142. doi: 10.1177/17562848261469142. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT Functional constipation (FC) and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) are prevalent disorders of gut-brain interaction with limited effective treatments. The vagus nerve exerts considerable influence on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, indicating that noninvasive electrical neuromodulation targeting this nerve could provide a promising therapeutic avenue for both FC and IBS-C. This review explores several emerging noninvasive neuromodulation techniques involving the vagus nerve, such as transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation, percuta…

Dig Dis Sci. 2026 Jul 20. doi: 10.1007/s10620-026-10126-1. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder in which dietary interventions play a pivotal role in symptom management. Although traditional dietary advice, the low-FODMAP diet (LFD), and the gluten-free diet (GFD) are commonly employed in clinical practice, comparative evidence regarding their relative efficacy-particularly when applied in combination-remains limited. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment was conducted in the gastroenterology outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Adult patients…

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 Jul 16:S2468-1253(26)00148-2. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(26)00148-2. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Despite the continued absence of a definitive biomarker for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), research over the last three decades has identified a wide range of underlying pathophysiological abnormalities. Peripheral mechanisms include gastrointestinal infection, changes in the gut microbiome, visceral hypersensitivity, increased intestinal permeability, low-grade mucosal inflammation and altered immune function, abnormal gastrointestinal motility, and the role of serotonin, bile acid metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. Central mechanism…

J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2026 May;19(5):54-56. ABSTRACT Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease associated with systemic comorbidities, including gastrointestinal disorders. Emerging evidence supports a bidirectional gut-skin axis, with shared immunologic pathways involving the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), traditionally considered a functional disorder, has also been linked to low-grade inflammation and cytokine dysregulation. We report a case of a 67-year-old man with moderate plaque and inverse psoriasis and longstanding IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) who experienced complete resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms follo…

Mindfulness (N Y). 2024 Sep;15(9):2233-2244. doi: 10.1007/s12671-024-02435-1. Epub 2024 Sep 16. ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to have substantial therapeutic effects on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom severity, health-related quality of life, and psychological symptoms at 3 months following an 8-week group MT intervention. This study reports a secondary analysis to examine the long-term trajectory of change in these IBS symptoms. METHODS: This study analyzed 6- and 12-month follow-up data collected in a randomized controlled pilot study involving 75 adult women meeting Rome II criteria for IBS assigned to 8 weekly 2-hour sessions plus…

Chronic Constipation May Be Linked to Your Gut's 'Second Brain' ScienceAlert Enjoying consistent, low-effort bowel movements is a massively underappreciated aspect of one's quality of life. Yet this is not the case for up to 15 percent of the global populace, as millions of individuals struggle with chronic constipation. The constipation umbrella – thankfully a figurative term – comprises different subtypes with various causes and symptoms. This includes slow-transit constipation (STC), the reduced motility of last night's (or week's) steak through the gastrointestinal tract, potentially caused by abnormalities in the enteric nerves that control peristalsis, the rhythmic…

Cureus. 2026 Jun 12;18(6):e110741. doi: 10.7759/cureus.110741. eCollection 2026 Jun. ABSTRACT Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction characterized by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits in the absence of structural disease. Despite its high prevalence and substantial impact on quality of life, healthcare utilization, and long-term symptom burden, IBS management remains challenging because of its heterogeneous pathophysiology and variable treatment response. Current evidence supports a multifactorial model involving altered motility, visceral hypersensitivity, dysregulated brain-gut signaling, mucosal immune a…

Front Microbiol. 2026 Jun 26;17:1730607. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1730607. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder with complex and incompletely understood pathophysiology. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of abdominal massage on diarrhea-predominant IBS-D using a rat model. METHODS: IBS-D was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats through a combination of maternal separation and chronic stress. The experimental interventions consisted of abdominal massage and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) using donor microbiota obtained fr…

Genetic study links IBS to lipid metabolism and triglyceride regulation Medical Xpress Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that affects more than 10% of the general population, causing recurrent abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. IBS is considered a disorder of gut-brain interaction, and previous research, including genetic research, has established links to nerve signaling, the nervous system and other conditions including anxiety and mood disorders. The exact biological mechanisms, however, have remained frustratingly difficult to pin down, leaving many patients without effective, targeted treatments. Now, a major new study published…

World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. 2026 Jun 22;17(2):121705. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v17.i2.121705. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Occult constipation (OC) is defined by the absence of classical symptoms of constipation on initial clinical history, despite objective evidence of fecal retention, such as the presence of hard stool on digital rectal examination or fecal impaction identified on plain abdominal radiography. It is frequently undiagnosed in children and presents with a diverse array of symptoms, such as abdominal pain and frequent defecation with mucoid feces. These symptoms are strikingly similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diarrhea (IBS-D). AIM: To verify the hypot…

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 Jul 2:S2468-1253(26)00118-4. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(26)00118-4. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The Rome V criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were proposed in May, 2026. Their performance for the diagnosis of IBS in clinical practice is as yet unknown. We aimed to conduct a diagnostic accuracy study to examine this issue. METHODS: This diagnostic accuracy study was conducted in the specialist IBS clinic in Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust, Leeds, UK. Consecutive adults aged 16 years and older who were referred with suspected IBS between Sept 22, 2016, and June 18, 2024, provided complete sympto…

Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2026 Jul;22(4):177-187. ABSTRACT Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs), such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia, affect a substantial portion of the global population. These disorders are best conceptualized through a biopsychosocial framework, reflecting the complex interplay and bidirectional communication among biological, psychological, and social factors. While conventional pharmaceutical treatments remain limited in efficacy and patient satisfaction, interest in integrative approaches to care continues to grow. However, despite the increasing use of integrative interventions for DGBIs, their therapeutic targets and…

Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2026 Jul;22(6):296-302. ABSTRACT The management of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remains a common clinical challenge for health care providers. IBS is a prevalent disorder that encompasses a constellation of symptoms that may be caused by a variety of underlying conditions; as a result, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and clinicians must tailor their approach to the individual. This article outlines the challenges associated with the management of IBS and offers practical solutions to help providers care for patients with IBS. PMID:42389325 | PMC:PMC13322402 View the full article

Higher Mortality Risk in Patients With IBS Using Antidepressants Medscape ntidepressants and certain antidiarrheal drugs, such as loperamide and diphenoxylate, were linked to a slightly higher risk for death in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to findings of a recent study. The findings, published in Communications Medicine, raise concerns about the safety of antidepressants and mu receptor agonists in IBS treatment and call for new considerations in long-term prescribing, the authors wrote. Researchers performed a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Analytics US electronic health record (EHR) database from 2005 to 2023. The database compile…

Fecal Transplant Offers No Clear Benefit in IBS Medscape A meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials did not find conclusive evidence that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) alleviated symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODOLOGYPrior small randomized controlled trials suggested that FMT might alleviate symptoms of IBS, but these trials yielded inconsistent results. Researchers conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of FMT in patients with IBS. The researchers searched four major databases and reference lists through February 2026 to identify trials involving adults…

Gut. 2026 Jun 26:gutjnl-2026-339311. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2026-339311. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction, with some recommended treatments targeting brain-gut axis dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: To compare relative efficacy of gut-brain neuromodulators and brain-gut behaviour therapies in IBS. DESIGN: Network meta-analysis searching the medical literature to 8 February 2026 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of gut-brain neuromodulators or brain-gut behaviour therapies in adults with IBS. In our main analysis, we judged efficacy using dichotomous endpoints of improvement in either global IBS symp…

Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Jun 16;27(12):5450. doi: 10.3390/ijms27125450. ABSTRACT Differentiating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) remains a major clinical challenge due to overlapping symptoms and the limited specificity of single biomarkers. A reliable, non-invasive multimarker approach is needed to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce unnecessary endoscopic procedures. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum interleukin-17A (IL-17A), neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR), and fecal calprotectin (FCP), individually and in combination, for discriminating IBD from IBS-D and healthy controls in Egyptian patients. I…

J Clin Med. 2026 Jun 9;15(12):4449. doi: 10.3390/jcm15124449. ABSTRACT Background: Rifaximin is widely used in the management of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), but concerns remain regarding the potential risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), particularly with repeated antibiotic exposure. Aim: To evaluate the short-term risk of CDI following Rifaximin therapy in patients with SIBO. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX Collaborative Research Network. Adult patients with SIBO were identified and categorized based on Rifaximin exposure within 60 days of diagnosis. The primary analysis compared patients …

BMC Gastroenterol. 2026 Jun 11. doi: 10.1186/s12876-026-04964-6. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Behavioral therapies are effective in the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Mahana™ IBS is a mobile phone application designed to deliver 10 sessions (10-12 weeks) of gut-directed cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to adults with IBS. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate patient compliance with the Mahana™ mobile phone CBT application and the change in gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms in a real-world UK setting. METHODS: This single-center prospective study recruited adults with Rome IV IBS from a tertiary care outpatient setting. At baseline and 12-week …

J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 Jun 3. doi: 10.1111/jgh.70477. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hydrogen breath testing is a widely used, noninvasive method for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. However, diagnostic cut-offs vary across international guidelines. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of differing criteria. METHODS: We prospectively studied consecutive adults with irritable bowel syndrome who underwent glucose hydrogen breath testing. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was diagnosed using the Asia-Pacific consensus (rise in hydrogen ≥ 12 ppm from baseline) and the North American consensus (rise ≥ 20 ppm). Methane ≥ …

Front Nutr. 2026 May 18;13:1807154. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1807154. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT Since its discovery as an antirachitic agent, vitamin D has been recognized for its importance to health, most namely bone health, prompting food fortification practices that are still in place today. The two forms of vitamin D, ergocalciferol (D2) and cholecalciferol (D3), are obtained through the diet or synthesized in the skin via ultraviolet-B radiation. Vitamin D is activated by enzymes mainly found in hepatic and renal tissues, to exert downstream effects via the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). VDR is expressed nearly in all tissues, allowing activated vitamin D to have …

IBS podcast adds expert interviews to support digestive health PodcastingToday People living with irritable bowel syndrome can hear directly from UK digestive health specialists in a new interview series on the Inside Knowledge for people with IBS podcast. Hosted by Bristol based nutritional therapist Anna Mapson, the series brings together medical and health professionals to discuss symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, wind and irregular bowel movements. Guests already featured include consultant gastroenterologist Professor Hayee, NHS GP Dr Ewart, a pelvic health physiotherapist and a hypermobility specialist. The aim is to provide listeners with evidence-base…