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Kimchi powder supplement for adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

Tests kimchi powder against placebo in adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Key facts

Who runs it
Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital
Where
Yangsan, South KoreaSee the site
Trial code
Registry title
Kimchi Powder on Gut Health
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
100 people, planned
Started
3 Aug 2026
Expected to end
31 Dec 2027
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a placebo (a dummy treatment), for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Kimchi power
  • Placebo
Record updated
6 August 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults aged 20 to 70 with irritable bowel syndrome where diarrhoea is the main problem (IBS-D). They take kimchi powder capsules or dummy capsules for 8 weeks.

Age
20 to 70 years
Sex
Men and women
Disease stage
IBS-D by the Rome IV criteria: very loose or watery stools (Bristol type 6 or 7) in 25% or more of bowel movements from 2 weeks before screening. Body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or more and less than 30 kg/m2. No inflammatory bowel disease or cancer.
Earlier treatment
People cannot join if they use medicines or foods that may affect the results, such as kimchi or probiotics. People must agree not to eat foods with kimchi for about 2 months.

Main reasons for not taking part

  • Belly surgery other than appendix removal
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure (160/100 mmHg or higher) or uncontrolled diabetes (fasting blood sugar 160 mg/dL (8.9 mmol/L) or higher)
  • Serious heart, brain blood vessel disease or cancer in the past 6 months
  • Serious mental illness, severe alcohol problem, or smoking 20 cigarettes per day or more
  • Pregnancy, possible pregnancy, breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 23 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Adults, male or female, aged 20 to 70 years
  • Body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or more and less than 30 kg/m2
  • Meeting the Rome IV criteria for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), defined as Bristol Stool Form Scale type 6 or 7 in 25% or more of bowel movements from 2 weeks before screening through the day of the screening visit
  • No inflammatory bowel disease or malignancy
  • Provided written agreement to refrain from consuming kimchi-containing foods for the duration of the study (approximately 2 months)

Who cannot take part

  • Drug-induced constipation
  • Severe cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease or malignancy within the previous 6 months
  • Use of medications or foods that may affect the study results, including kimchi and probiotics
  • Participation in another drug clinical trial within one month prior to the screening date, or planned participation
  • Constipation secondary to another condition, such as diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease
  • History of intra-abdominal surgery other than appendectomy (including gastrectomy, gastric bypass, gallbladder or biliary tract surgery, pancreatectomy, bowel resection with particular reference to the ileum, and colorectal surgery or insertion procedures)
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (resting blood pressure 160/100 mmHg or higher)
  • Psychiatric disorder such as severe affective disorder, schizophrenia, or substance use disorder, or current use of related psychiatric medication (intermittent use for sleep disturbance is permitted)
  • Severe alcohol use disorder
  • Hypersensitivity to the main ingredient or components of the study food
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (fasting blood glucose 160 mg/dL or higher)
  • AST or ALT concentration 3 times or more the upper limit of the reference range of the testing laboratory
  • Creatinine concentration 2 times or more the upper limit of the reference range of the testing laboratory
  • Uncontrolled hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
  • Heavy smoking (20 cigarettes per day or more)
  • Severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn or dyspepsia
  • For female volunteers, suspected pregnancy, lactation, or plan to become pregnant during the study period
  • Judged unsuitable for participation by the principal investigator for reasons other than those listed above

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 20 and 70 years old?

Where in South Korea

  • Pusan National University Yangsan HospitalYangsan, South KoreaContact: ProfessorTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The investigators will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of Kimchi powder supplementation on gut health in adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) for 8 weeks.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • This group takes Kimchi power for 8 weeks.Treatment being tested

    Participants take capsules containing kimchi powder, 3 capsules three times daily after breakfast, lunch, and dinner with water, for 8 weeks (56 days). Total daily intake is 3,600 mg/day (400 mg x 9 capsules), corresponding to 3,000 mg/day of kimchi powder.

    Treatment: Kimchi power

  • This group takes placebo power for 8 weeks.Placebo, for comparison

    Participants take placebo capsules identical in appearance to the test product, containing lactose and other excipients, 3 capsules three times daily after breakfast, lunch, and dinner with water, for 8 weeks (56 days). Total daily intake is 3,600 mg/day (400 mg x 9 capsules).

    Treatment: Placebo

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
The Effect of Kimchi Powder Supplementation on Gut Health: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (KIMCHI-GUT Trial)
Plain-language title
Kimchi powder supplement for adults with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndromeGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
Fit questions
Built from NCT07749092, who can take part
Record updated
6 August 2026