- Scientists in London analyzed data from 28 studies involving 1,789 patients
- Researchers said it could be an inexpensive treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
Mindfulness exercises should be prescribed to help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel disorder, according to a large-scale study.
Talking therapies have been found to reduce inflammation by almost a fifth in people with gut conditions, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Researchers from King’s College London found that treatments that improve mood reduced inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by 18 percent.
They said their findings could provide an effective and inexpensive alternative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease.
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic autoimmune diseases that affect more than 500,000 people in Britain and result in inflammation of the digestive tract.
Researchers from King’s College London found that treatments that improve mood reduced inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by 18 percent. They said their findings could provide an effective and inexpensive alternative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
This can cause a range of debilitating symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and incontinence.
The research – supported by the National Institute for Health and Care (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) – analyzed data from 28 studies, involving 1,789 patients.
It found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction had the best results on inflammation.
When the team looked at IBD-specific inflammation, they found a small reduction in c-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin after mood interventions.
Professor Valeria Mondelli, an expert in psychoneuroimmunology at King’s, said the findings suggest that ‘improvements in mood may influence physical illness through modulation of the immune system’.
She said: ‘We know that stress-related feelings can increase inflammation and the findings suggest that by improving mood we can reduce this type of inflammation.
‘This adds to the growing body of research demonstrating the role of inflammation in mental health and suggests that interventions that work to improve mood may also have direct physical effects on inflammation levels.’
Researchers found that psychological therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, had the best results on inflammation in IBD, compared to antidepressants and exercise interventions.
Those who had a greater positive effect on mood had a greater effect on reducing inflammatory biomarkers, suggesting that the mechanism underlying the effect of psychological and social interventions on inflammation in IBD could be improved mood.
Ruth Wakeman, from Crohn’s & Colitis UK, said: ‘People tell us every day that Crohn’s disease and colitis can have a huge impact on their mental wellbeing as well as their physical health.
‘There are few ‘quick fixes’ when it comes to mental wellbeing and unfortunately we know that many patients can experience difficulty accessing psychological support when they need it.
‘We welcome any research into improving the lives of people with inflammatory bowel disease.’