Prospective Observational Study of Naturopathic Approaches to IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition affecting about 4% of people worldwide and can significantly impact quality of life and healthcare costs. While there are medications available, few are consistently effective, leading many people with IBS to explore alternative treatments, including naturopathy. However, research on naturopathic approaches to IBS is limited.

This study aims to describe how naturopathy is used to treat IBS and to collect preliminary data on changes in IBS symptoms before and after treatment. It will use a prospective, observational design without a control group, focusing on outcomes from individualized naturopathic care provided by licensed practitioners.

Adult patients with diagnosed IBS or IBS-like symptoms will be recruited from naturopathic doctors affiliated with the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Participants' IBS symptoms will be assessed using validated tools (IBS-SSS and IBS-AR), and quality of life will be measured using the PROMIS-29 survey. Treatment details and any adverse effects will also be recorded. The main outcome will be the difference in symptoms and quality of life after 12 weeks of treatment. Results will be analyzed with statistical tests (p-value \< 0.05) and summarized.

The findings from this pilot study will help fill knowledge gaps and provide a foundation for designing a more rigorous randomized controlled trial in the future.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder with a worldwide prevalence of about 4% according to the Rome IV criteria. It has a significant impact on quality of life and societal expense. While there are pharmaceutical options available, few can be reliably recommended. Many IBS sufferers turn to complementary and alternative medicine, including naturopathy. Naturopathic approaches to IBS are poorly studied to date. The researchers aim to describe naturopathic approaches to IBS, as well as establish pilot data on before-and-after changes in validated IBS instruments. The study will employ a prospective, observational, naturalistic design. The uncontrolled before-and-after study will examine the outcomes associated with individualized, whole system naturopathic care as determined by each respective provider. The researchers will recruit adult patients either diagnosed with IBS or presenting with IBS-like symptoms, and presenting to the private practices of naturopathic doctors who are members of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Participants' IBS symptoms will be measured using validated instruments (IBS-SSS and IBS-AR). Quality of life will be measured by the PROMIS - 29. Adverse events will be tracked, as will treatment descriptions. The primary outcomes will be before-and-after differences using week 12 as the primary endpoint. P-values will be set at 0.05 and descriptive and summary data will be presented. This study is designed to contribute to significant evidence gaps and to gather preliminary evidence to guide the design of a follow-up randomized, controlled trial.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (≥18 years of age) who present with a pre-existing IBS diagnosis or IBS- like gastrointestinal symptoms.
* Pre-existing IBS diagnosis or IBS-like gastrointestinal symptoms must be the primary cause of the visit.
* An IBS diagnosis must be listed within the top 3 diagnoses for the visit and addressed in the individualized treatment plan.

Exclusion Criteria:

\*Inability to read and write in English.