Lana Dardari, MD1, Maher Taha, MD2, Rashid Abdel-Razeq, MD3 1Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Westlake, OH; 2Texas Health Resources, Irving, TX; 3Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, significantly reducing quality of life. Current pharmacological treatments frequently show limited effectiveness and undesirable side effects. As a result, attention has turned to dietary approaches. Green tea, rich in polyphenols with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has emerged as a potential option. This study aims to review clinical evidence on the effects of green tea or its extracts in alleviating IBS symptoms. Methods: The search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and Cochrane Central databases to identify studies assessing green tea’s effects on IBS symptoms, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other compounds. A total of 9 studies were found through Covidence and met the inclusion criteria, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Outcomes assessed included global IBS symptom relief, abdominal pain, bloating, stool consistency, frequency, and quality of life. Results: Several studies reported a statistically significant improvement in abdominal pain, bloating, and satisfaction with bowel habits. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover RCT, a green tea-curcumin-selenomethionine combination significantly improved patient satisfaction with bowel habits (mean score reduced from 70.4 ± 33.1 to 61.8 ± 29.3; p = 0.037). Other studies indicated reduced inflammatory markers and improvement in IBS severity scores following polyphenol-rich green tea extract supplementation. One observational study noted that regular green tea intake was associated with reduced symptom burden in IBS-D patients, though not in constipation-predominant subtypes. Two studies investigated EGCG-enriched green tea extract and observed improvements in abdominal pain and bloating, possibly due to modulation of the gut microbiota and inhibition of mast cell activation. Adverse effects were rare and mild, with one study reporting transient nausea in 2 of 30 participants receiving high-dose green tea extract. Discussion: Green tea and its polyphenolic constituents, particularly EGCG, have been associated with beneficial effects in reducing IBS symptoms, possibly through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and microbiome-modulating pathways. While heterogeneity exists in dosing, formulations, and outcome measures across studies, the current evidence supports further investigation via large-scale, standardized RCTs.
Disclosures: Lana Dardari indicated no relevant financial relationships. Maher Taha indicated no relevant financial relationships. Rashid Abdel-Razeq indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Lana Dardari, MD1, Maher Taha, MD2, Rashid Abdel-Razeq, MD3. P0801 - The Role of Green Tea in Reducing Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): A Systematic Review, ACG 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Phoenix, AZ: American College of Gastroenterology.
