What are some of the main medical treatments for IBS-C?

    Written by:
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Main medical treatments for IBS-C (constipation-predominant IBS) include osmotic laxatives and guanylate cyclase-c agonists to enhance bowel water retention and motility, as well as antidepressants and antispasmodics to alleviate abdominal pain. Additionally, antibiotic treatment for methane-positive small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has shown some promise in improving constipation.

    Medications for IBS-C include osmotic laxatives and guanylate cyclase-c agonists, both of which can increase water retention in the bowel and stimulate intestinal motility. Antidepressants and antispasmodics may also be used to reduce abdominal pain.[1]

    There’s some evidence that methane could slow intestinal transit, and antibiotic treatment of methane-positive small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) improved constipation in a small number of studies.[2]

    What are some of the main medical treatments for IBS-C? - Examine