Feasibility Assessment of Cardiovascular Endurance Training for the Symptomatic Improvement of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients With a Sedentary and Non-active Lifestyle.

Who can take part

• Patients aged 18 - 60 years
• Fulfilling the ROME IV criteria for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Moderate symptom severity as defined by a IBS-Symptom Severity Scale > 175
• Sedentary lifestyle defined as SIT-Q-7D > 8h/day
• Physically inactive defined as < 150min/week on the IPAQ score

Who cannot take part

• Prior abdominal surgery (with the exception of appendectomy or cholecystectomy more than 6 months ago)
• Any prior diagnosis of cancer other than basocellular carcinoma
• Current chemotherapy
• Treatment with neuromodulators (one neuromodulator taken at a stable dose for more than 12 weeks is allowed)
• Treatment with spasmolytic agents, opioids, loperamide, gelatine tannate or mucoprotect-ants during the past 8 weeks
• Cardiorespiratory disorder hampering participation in a program of physical exercise as evidenced by the sport + keuringsartsen (SKA) questionnaire
• Clinical suspicion of an organic disorder different from IBS (patients can be included when this disorder had been excluded)
• Known inflammatory bowel disorder
• Known intestinal motility disorder
• Active psychiatric disorder
• Known systemic or auto-immune disorder with implication for the GI system
• History of gastro-enteritis in the past 8 weeks
• Alcohol (defined as more than 14 U per week) or other substance abuse
• Change in diet in the past 8 weeks
• Dietary supplements unless taken at a stable dose for more than 8 weeks
• Antibiotics, pre-, pro-, post-biotics or any combination during the past 8 weeks