Recent Advances in Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Authors

  • Jason Chambers, MD Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.
  • Adam V. Weizman, MD, MSc, FRCPC Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58931/cibdt.2024.2334

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing-remitting inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, primarily comprised of 2 major types: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The pathogenesis of IBD is not fully elucidated but is thought to be multifactorial involving genetic, environmental, and immunological contributors. The incidence of IBD has been rising worldwide, particularly in developed nations. Canada, in particular, has one of the highest prevalence rates of IBD globally, with recent data indicating that over 320,000 Canadians are living with IBD, making it a significant public health concern.

The chronic nature of IBD, along with the severity of its symptoms, and the adverse effects occasionally attributed to management (e.g. immunosuppression, corticosteroids, surgical complications) can significantly reduce the quality of life for those affected. As such, many patients with IBD use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) due to safety concerns of conventional therapy and a sense of greater control over their disease. CAM refers to a broad range of healthcare practices, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, fecal microbiota transplants, and probiotics, which are not typically considered part of conventional western medicine. The use of CAM among patients with IBD is high, with current or past use of CAM ranging from 21-60% of IBD patients. Given the propensity of patients with IBD to seek CAM and the unfamiliarity that many medical practitioners have with the evidence of benefit/harm from these practices, this review seeks to summarize recent advances in clinical research on CAM use for IBD.

Author Biographies

Jason Chambers, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Dr. Chambers is a PGY-2 Internal Medicine resident at the University of Toronto. He received his medical degree from Western University in 2023. His research interests are focused on the field of gastroenterology with focus in IBD.

Adam V. Weizman, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Dr. Weizman is a gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba and subsequently did a Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto. He completed the Advanced Fellowship in inflammatory bowel disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California and a master’s degree (MSc) in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety from the Institute of Health Policy, Evaluation, and Management at the University of Toronto. His research interests include healthcare quality and health outcomes, with a focus on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Dr. Weizman is the Medical Director of the Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Mount Sinai Hospital and Head of Quality and Patient Safety for the Division of Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network.

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Published

2024-12-09

How to Cite

1.
Chambers J, Weizman AV. Recent Advances in Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Can IBD Today [Internet]. 2024 Dec. 9 [cited 2025 Jan. 31];2(3):14–18. Available from: https://canadianibdtoday.com/article/view/2-3-Chambers_et_al

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Volume 2, Issue 3, Fall 2024

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