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Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be interested in trying complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies instead of, or in addition to, conventional therapy. While several studies have assessed the efficacy of individual CAM modalities, there are few data comparing CAM to placebo or sham interventions, specifically with regard to patient-reported outcomes such as abdominal pain. To address these knowledge gaps, investigators conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 66 randomized, controlled trials including over 6700 patients, with the following results:
For overall response in IBS, herbal therapy, dietary supplements, and mind-body–based therapy were significantly better than placebo or sham (relative risk r…