Medical interventions to improve mood (psychotherapy, antidepressants, and physical activity) can reduce inflammation by 18% in people with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Publika.az reports, this is the research published in “Ebiomedicine” magazine.
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These are chronic autoimmune inflammation of the digestive system. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and incontinence, all of which can lead to mood and mental health problems.
Researchers reviewed data from 15,000 publications evaluating the effects of mood-enhancing interventions on inflammatory biomarkers in adults with IBD. The authors selected 28 of the highest quality trials with similar experimental designs. More than 1700 patients participated in the study.
The analysis found that psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness practices, led to greater reductions in inflammation than antidepressants and exercise. But in general, all these measures were effective. The reduction in inflammation was confirmed by an average 18% reduction in C-reactive protein, fecal calprotectin and other markers of intestinal inflammation.
