Interstitial Cystitis and Dietary Interventions: A Systematic Review

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is prevalent and disrupts daily life. Dietary modification is commonly recommended, but evidence is fragmented. We systematically compared dietary interventions; we hypothesized that individualized elimination may improve symptoms, but overall randomized evidence remains limited.

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception through March 2025. Primary outcomes used validated symptom scales (Genitourinary Pain Index [GUPI], O'Leary-Sant Symptom/Problem Index [OSSI/OSPI], and visual analog scale [VAS]). Hedges' g with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated for each comparison (N = 147 participants). Owing to heterogeneity, we conducted a structured narrative synthesis.

Four studies with 147 patients were included. Elimination diet significantly reduced the OSSI (g = -0.89, 95% CI -1.61, -0.16) and OSPI (g = -1.97, 95% CI -2.80, -1.15) at 12 months, and showed significant improvements in pain. Anti-inflammatory diet showed no significant differences (g = -0.16, 95% CI -1.04, 0.72 to g = -0.40, 95% CI -1.29, 0.49) on RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology and GUPI scores. E-health-supported dietary coaching moderately improved VAS Pain (g = -0.96, 95% CI -1.46, -0.45) and urgency (g = -0.68, 95% CI -1.18, -0.19). Hydrogen-rich water showed nonsignificant effects across all outcomes.

Individualized elimination may offer symptom benefit, whereas anti-inflammatory patterns and hydrogen-rich water showed no clear advantage in small, short-term trials. Current randomized evidence is insufficient to support strong recommendations; adequately powered RCTs (≥ 6-12 months) are needed.