Do any supplements help for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Written by Amy Malec

Latest Update September 08, 2025 ⓘ

Supplements for IBS? -- Women With Stomach Pain

Answer:

Many different supplements have been investigated for reducing symptoms of constipation-predominant or diarrhea-predominant IBS. These include certain probiotics and prebiotics, as well as glutamine, melatonin, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), psyllium, vitamin D and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Find out which of these supplements have been shown to help and which don't seem to be beneficial, and learn about other supplements such as fish oil, digestive enzymes, magnesium, vitamin C, berberine, and turmeric/curcumin that might actually exacerbate IBS symptoms.

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