The Effectiveness of Yoga for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder affecting 5%-10% of the global population and is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and dysregulation of bowel movements. Many patients do not benefit from full remission of symptoms by conventional treatments. Recently, yoga has demonstrated its potential benefits in various medical conditions including IBS, as a result of its effect on the gut-brain axis. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of yoga for the management of IBS.

We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed and Scopus until March 2025 to identify studies on yogic posture, pranayama, and meditation in IBS. After excluding reviews, case reports, and studies not meeting age or design criteria, 10 studies were included. These were evaluated for methodological quality and classified as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or non-controlled trials. We analyzed outcomes related to gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, and psychological symptoms and examined the type of yoga administered.

Yoga interventions led to amelioration of gastrointestinal symptoms, decreased anxiety and depression, and enhanced quality of life compared to usual care or wait-list controls. Of note, the studies that fixed the change in the IBS Symptom Severity Scale scores as the primary outcome showed a moderate-large effect of yoga on the improvement of symptoms compared to controls (Cohen's d range: 0.37-3.60).

These preliminary findings suggest that yoga could favorably influence both the physical and psychological aspects of IBS. However, high-quality larger sample studies are needed to confirm the findings reported in the review.