Vitamin D Supplementation May Improve Quality of Life in IBS Patients, finds research

Among the 12 included studies, a majority of the populations had deficient or insufficient baseline serum 25(OH)D levels. The intervention periods varied, with vitamin D supplementation ranging from daily doses of 3,000 IU to bi-weekly doses of 50,000 IU over 6 to 26 weeks. The meta-analysis of low-risk RCTs demonstrated a significant increase in serum vitamin D levels in individuals who received supplementation when compared to placebo groups. The pooled mean difference for serum 25(OH)D levels was 20.33 ng/mL that confirmed the efficacy of supplementation in raising vitamin D status. The significant improvements were observed among populations with deficient baseline vitamin D levels in terms of quality of life. The pooled results showed a positive shift in quality of life scores by indicating that restoring vitamin D levels can contribute to improved well-being in IBS patients.

However, the impact on IBS symptom severity was less clear. The meta-analysis showed a trend toward reduced symptom severity, but the results were not statistically significant. The high heterogeneity (I2 = 92.8%) in the data suggests that further research is needed to better understand the variability in outcomes. Overall, the study provides evidence that vitamin D supplementation can improve serum 25(OH)D levels and quality of life in IBS patients with initially low levels of the vitamin. 

Reference:

Cara, K. C., Taylor, S. F., Alhmly, H. F., & Wallace, T. C. (2024). The effects of vitamin D intake and status on symptom severity and quality-of-life in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a systematic review and meta-analysis. In Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (pp. 1–14). Informa UK Limited. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2024.2400603