Vitamin D Supplements as a Valuable Adjunctive Treatment Option for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To assess the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on IBS severity.
Methodology: This study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, from August 2022 to August 2024. A total of 152 participants aged 18–65 years diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (Rome IV criteria) and vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) were enrolled. Participants were allocated into two groups: Group A (cases, n= 76) received vitamin D supplementation for 1 month alongside standard care, while Group B (controls, n = 76) received standard care alone. The Irritable Bowel Symptom Severity Score (IBS) and serum vitamin D levels were measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v23, with a p-value ≤0.05 considered significant.
Results: Total 152 patients were included in the study with mean age of 32.7 ± 5.8 years; gender distribution indicated 61(40.1%) male participants and 91(59.8%) female participants. Comparative analysis of pre and post treatment was reported for IBSSSS mean value and Vitamin D values, the pre-treatment IBSSS in group A was 245.8 ± 21.8 while post treatment was 152.1 ± 16.2 with p-value of 0.015, Vitamin D was reported as 15.9 ± 1.23 in pre-treatment while 38.2 ± 1.24 as post treatment in group A, with p-value of 0.007. The elevated vitamin D after Treatment and declined IBSSSS was reported in group A. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation is a valuable adjunctive treatment option for IBS patients, especially with vitamin D deficiency.
Keywords: GI disorders, Irritable bowel syndrome, Supplementation, Vitamin D deficiency