Vitamin D supplementation for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#abdominal-pain #dietary-supplements #humans #irritable-bowel-syndrome #quality-of-life

Vitamin D supplementation for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Chong et al., 2022 | J Gastroenterol Hepatol | Meta Analysis

Citation

Chong Ryan Ian Houe, Yaow Clyve Yu Leon, ... Ng Qin Xiang. Vitamin D supplementation for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022-Jun;37(6):993-1003. doi:10.1111/jgh.15852

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent and complex gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Observational studies have suggested a relationship between serum vitamin D levels and IBS symptoms. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the clinical effects of vitamin D supplementation on IBS symptom severity and quality of life (QoL) measures. METHODS: Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. Data abstraction and quality assessment were conducted by four authors independently, and discrepancies were resolved through consensus from the senior author. Continuous data were pooled with standardized mean difference (SMD) using the DerSimonian and Laird's random-effects model. Sensitivity analysis by risk of bias and potentially "predatory" publication were performed as well. RESULTS: A total of 685 patients across eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation significantly improved IBS symptom severity scale scores, with a SMD of -0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI] -1.47 to -0.07, P = 0.04, I2  = 91%). Improvements in IBS-QoL scores were also observed, albeit not statistically significant (SMD 0.54; 95% CI -0.34 to 1.41, P = 0.15, I2  = 87%). However, small sample sizes, a relatively young study population, limited ethnicities, and varied vitamin D dosing strategies across the studies were notable limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D supplementation could be part of our clinical armamentarium when managing IBS patients due to the potential efficacy and good safety profile. Further randomized, controlled trials are required to confirm the therapeutic effects.

Key Findings

A total of 685 patients across eight studies were included in the meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation significantly improved IBS symptom severity scale scores, with a SMD of -0.77 (95% confidence interval [CI] -1.47 to -0.07, P = 0.04, I2  = 91%). Improvements in IBS-QoL scores were also observed, albeit not statistically significant (SMD 0.54; 95% CI -0.34 to 1.41, P = 0.15, I2  = 87%). However, small sample sizes, a relatively young study population, limited ethnicities, and varied vitami

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 685
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Humans
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Quality of Life
  • Vitamin D

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: vitamin-d

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09