New evidence strengthens the case for acupuncture in IBS

Clinical takeaway: For patients with IBS whose symptoms remain bothersome despite guideline-based management, acupuncture may be a reasonable adjunctive therapy, particularly for those seeking nonpharmacologic treatment.

IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders and can be difficult to manage because treatment responses vary widely among patients. Acupuncture is already used by many patients with IBS, but uncertainty has remained about whether its benefits extend beyond placebo effects.

New pooled findings strengthen evidence supporting acupuncture as a nonpharmacologic option for selected patients with IBS. Compared with sham non-acupoint acupuncture, patients receiving acupuncture were 61% more likely to achieve an overall treatment response. Acupuncture also produced greater improvements in overall symptom severity at the end of treatment, with benefits persisting at follow-up in pooled analyses. Quality of life improved modestly as well.

The systematic review and meta-analysis included 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1,105 participants, providing a more comprehensive assessment than earlier individual trials. For clinicians, the results suggest acupuncture may provide symptom relief through mechanisms beyond nonspecific placebo effects and can be considered as an adjunctive option for selected patients who remain symptomatic despite standard management.

"We discovered acupuncture significantly improved IBS patients' response rate and overall symptom at the end of treatment, as compared to sham non-acupoint acupuncture," the study authors concluded.

Source: Zheng HZ, et al. (2026 July 6) Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. Acupuncture versus sham non-acupoint acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis