Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent condition of the gastrointestinal tract that has significant impact on sufferer's quality of life. The diarrhoea variant (IBS-D) makes up around one third of all IBS sufferers. There is currently a lack of both effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for IBS-D. Three food supplements: Green tea, vitamin D and curcumin have all been shown to demonstrate benefit in either reducing symptoms in IBS or diarrhoea as individual ingredients, but have never been tested in combination to assess their effectiveness in IBS. This research study aims to examine the effectiveness of green tea, vitamin D and curcumin in combination compared to a placebo capsule in individual suffering from IBS-D. The study will aim to enroll 78 participants with IBS-D and utilise a placebo-controlled double blind design. The study will consist of a 2 week screening period, a 4 week randomised treatment period (50% participants to receive placebo, 50% to receive active treatment), followed by a 4 week open label treatment period (all participants to receive the active study product).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
78
A combination of the following ingrediants per 4 capsules: CurcuWin® 1000mg - of which 200mg Curcuminoids Green Tea Extract 400mg - (0.1-0.5% caffeine) Vitamin D₃ 50 µg 2000IU
Placebo - identical capsules containing inert color matched power
The Functional Gut Clinic Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
The Functional Gut Clinic London
London, United Kingdom
The Functional Gut Clinic Manchester
Manchester, United Kingdom
Mean decrease of Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity score (IBS-SSS)
Mean change in IBS-SSS at the end of the randomised treatment phase between Active and placebo arms. The IBS-SSS is numeric score based on 5 questions (each rated 0-100), with a total minimum score of 0 and maximum of 500, with a higher score indicating greater severity of symptoms.
Time frame: From Enrollment to end of 4 week randomised treatment period
Use of rescue medication
Average change in rescue medication use from week 1 of randomisation period compared to week 4 of randomisation period, between active and placebo arms
Time frame: 4 weeks
Assessment of change breath methane levels during hydrogen and methane breath testing (HMBT)
Assessment of effect of active treatment vs placebo on breath hydrogen levels from baseline to end of randomised treatment period. Breath hydrogen levels will be measured using a lactulose hydrogen and methane breath test. Total area under the curve for methane during the test will be calculated.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Mean change irritable bowel syndrome quality of life (IBS-QoL) questionnaire score
Mean change IBS-QoL scores from baseline to end of randomised treatment period, between active and placebo groups. The IBS-QoL questionnaire is made up of 34 questions each scored 1-5. Higher scores indicate better quality of life. Lower scores suggest more severe impact of IBS on daily living.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Longevity of treatment effect
Longevity of treatment effect assessed in the active group with comparison of IBS-SSS scores from the randomised treatment period to end of open label period. The IBS-SSS is numeric score based on 5 questions (each rated 0-100), with a total minimum score of 0 and maximum of 500, with a higher score indicating greater severity of symptoms.
Time frame: 8 weeks
Stool Consistency
Stool Consistency assessed as average number of days with Bristol Stool Scale type (mean over 4 weeks, mean of first week and last week of the randomisation period). A favorable change in mean score would be changes from type 6 or 7 stools (diarrhoea type stool consistency) to type 3,4,5 stools, which are considered normal stool consistency.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Stool frequency
Stool Frequency (mean of 4 weeks, mean of first week and last week of the randomisation period)
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in bloating measured using daily bowel diary.
Change in average daily bloating score for week 1 of the randomised treatment period to week 4 of the randomised treatment period. Severity of bloating will be scored daily by participants on a scale of 0-3, 0 being no bloating, 3 being severe bloating.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Change in abdominal pain measured using the daily bowel diary
Change in average daily abdominal pain score for week 1 of the randomised treatment period to week 4 of the randomised treatment period. Severity of abdominal pain will be scored daily by participants on a scale of 0-3, 0 being no bloating, 3 being severe bloating.
Time frame: 4 weeks
Breath Hydrogen levels measured using hydrogen and methane breath testing (HMBT)
Assessment of effect of active treatment vs placebo on breath hydrogen levels from baseline to end of randomised treatment period. Breath hydrogen levels will be measured using a lactulose hydrogen and methane breath test. Total area under the curve for hydrogen during the test will be calculated.
Time frame: 4 weeks
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