Aerobic exercise versus acupuncture on the quality of life in women suffering from irritable bowel syndrome

Background. Individuals experiencing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are frequently recommended to increase their physical activity to mitigate the symptoms and enhance their quality of life (QOL). Purpose. To compare the impacts of mild to moderate intensity aerobic treadmill exercise program versus acupuncture on symptoms and QOL in IBS women. Methods. Ninety women diagnosed with mild to moderate chronic IBS per ROME III criteria participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to three equal groups (n = 30) and followed a 12-week treatment program consisting of three sessions per week. Group A followed a treadmill exercise accompanied by a low-FODMAP diet, Group B received acupuncture along with a low-FODMAP diet, and Group C followed only the low-FODMAP diet. The three groups completed the IBS-Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS), the IBS-Quality-of-Life Scale (IBS-QOL), and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) before and after treatment. Results. After the 12-week treatment period, the results indicated significant differences among the three groups. Group A demonstrated significantly superior improvements across all outcome measures when compared to both Group B and Group C (p < 0.05). In addition, Group B exhibited significantly greater improvements in all outcome measures relative to Group C (p < 0.05). Conclusion. A combination of treadmill aerobic exercise and a low-FODMAP diet may be more beneficial for relieving symptoms and QOL in IBS women compared to acupuncture combined with a low-FODMAP diet or diet alone.