Can Yoga Improve IBS Symptoms?
IBS is a complex condition involving bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. Often manipulation of diet can produce good symptom improvement, however in many cases it may only partially improve symptoms. Yoga is an ancient practice derived from India that consists of body postures, breathing exercises and meditation. Yoga is potentially one form of therapy that can target the nervous system to help gain further symptom improvement.
Studies have shown that yoga is a safe adjunctive treatment for people with IBS and can produce improvements in global symptoms, quality of life and physical functioning compared with no treatment (1). Some potential benefits may include:
Stress reduction - breathing and relaxation can help to decrease stress, which is a known trigger for IBS
Increase awareness/mindfulness- help to recognise symptoms
Improve gut motility- movement and postures can help with digestion
Pain relief- certain postures may be beneficial to alleviate pain and discomfort.
One study has also shown that yoga was as effective as the low FODMAP diet at reducing symptoms. (2)
However, all being said some of the studies in this field are lacking good quality design and outcome measures to draw specific recommendations. (3)
My Tips:
If you are new to yoga make sure you learn the principles of the breath, otherwise yoga becomes only a series of postures. It is often beneficial to attend a beginners yoga class in person to learn the fundamentals and ensure that you have the correct technique for poses to allow you to build up your practice and gain the maximum benefit and avoid injury.
Effect of Yoga in the Therapy of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Schumann et al (2016) PMID: 27112106
Randomised clinical trial: Yoga vs a low-FODMAP diet in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Schumann et al (2018) PMID:29076171
Yoga as a Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. D’Silva et al (2020) PMID: 31832970.
