Can Acupuncture Help Irritable Bowel Syndrome? What Two Multicenter Randomized Trials Found
Research on Abdominal Pain, Diarrhea and Overall IBS Symptom Severity
Can Acupuncture Help? The Short Answer
Clinical trials suggest acupuncture can help improve IBS symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhea. In the 2025 ACTION trial, 57.9% of patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS met the combined pain-and-diarrhea response target after six weeks, compared with 41.4% receiving sham treatment. A second multicenter trial also found greater improvement in overall IBS symptom severity with acupuncture than with subtype-specific medication.
Acupuncture and Digestive Health: A Closer Look at the Research
For people living with recurring digestive symptoms, research can help make conversations about treatment more concrete. Two multicenter randomized trials and a 2026 systematic review provide encouraging findings on acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The 2025 ACTION Trial: Acupuncture Compared With Sham Treatment
The ACTION trial, published in Gastroenterology, randomized 280 adults with diarrhea-predominant IBS at six hospitals in China. Treatment involved 15 sessions over six weeks, followed by 12 weeks of observation.
At week six, 57.9% in the acupuncture group met the combined response endpoint, compared with 41.4% in the sham group (P=.008). Response required both at least a 30% reduction in worst abdominal pain and at least a 50% reduction in days with diarrhea. The difference was 16.5 percentage points.
Benefits were observed during follow-up through week 18; between-group differences were significant from week three except at week 16. No severe adverse events were reported. These findings support acupuncture as a treatment option to discuss for IBS-D; they do not establish the same results for every IBS subtype.
The 2020 Trial: Improvement in Overall Symptom Severity
A randomized trial published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings enrolled patients at seven hospitals in China. Of 531 randomized participants, 519 were included in the full analysis. Patients received 18 acupuncture sessions or subtype-specific medication over six weeks: polyethylene glycol 4000 for constipation-predominant IBS or pinaverium bromide for diarrhea-predominant IBS.
IBS Symptom Severity Scores fell by an average of 123.51 points with acupuncture and 94.73 with medication. The between-group difference was 28.78 points (P<.001), favoring acupuncture. Follow-up continued for 12 weeks after treatment. No severe adverse effects were reported.
This was a medication comparison, so its results answer a different question from the sham-controlled ACTION trial. Publication in Mayo Clinic Proceedings does not mean the trial was conducted at Mayo Clinic.
2026 Systematic Review: Acupuncture Improved IBS Response Rates and Symptoms
A systematic review published in Gastroenterology in July 2026 included 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1,105 participants, with 11 trials included in the meta-analysis. Compared with sham non-acupoint acupuncture, acupuncture significantly improved response rates and overall IBS symptoms at the end of treatment.
These findings add to the clinical evidence supporting acupuncture as an option for IBS symptom management. Read the original systematic review.
What This Means for Your Care
Together, these trials and the systematic review offer clinical support for considering acupuncture in an individualized IBS care plan. A trial average is not a prediction of any one patient's outcome. Your symptoms, IBS subtype, medical history and existing care should guide treatment decisions.
Acupuncture can be discussed alongside dietary approaches and other care recommended by your healthcare team. Keep your medical provider informed about ongoing symptoms and any treatment you are considering.
Considering Acupuncture for IBS in Northern Virginia, Maryland or Washington, DC?
Balance Art Acupuncture is located in Vienna, Virginia, and welcomes patients from Reston, Tysons Corner, McLean, Fairfax, Falls Church, Arlington, Great Falls and Chantilly in Northern Virginia, as well as Potomac and Bethesda in Maryland, Washington, DC, and surrounding communities.
If you are exploring acupuncture for IBS or recurring digestive symptoms, we can discuss how treatment may fit your individual needs, medical history and current care. Bring your diagnosis and current treatment information so we can discuss a plan suited to you. Appointments take place at our Vienna clinic at 301 Maple Avenue West, Suite 210, Vienna, VA 22180.
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References & Original Sources
1. Yang JW, et al. Efficacy of ACupuncTure in Irritable bOwel syNdrome (ACTION): A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. Gastroenterology. 2025;169(5):958–969.e5. PubMed.
2. Pei L, et al. Effect of Acupuncture in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Mayo Clin Proc. 2020;95(8):1671–1683. PubMed.
3. Zheng HZ, et al. Acupuncture vs Sham Non-Acupoint Acupuncture for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterology. Published online July 2026. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2026.06.017. PubMed.
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