Sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) could benefit from a gym membership and a detailed exercise regime.

A study on 102 IBS patients conducted by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that physical activity has the ability of lessening the symptoms experienced by sufferers.

The study, undertaken at two separate hospitals, included 102 IBS patients between the ages of 18 and 65.

The group was divided into to two and one was allocated to increase physical activity while people in the other were asked to maintain their usual lifestyle. Both groups received supportive phone calls from a physiotherapist.

People in the active group perform moderate to vigorous physical activity for 20 to 30 minutes three to five times a week.

According to Riadh Sadik, part of the university team conducting the study, the results were clear.

"The group with unchanged lifestyle had an average decrease of symptoms by 5 points. The active group on the other hand showed a symptom improvement with an average reduction of 51 points," he said.

The researchers also showed that the group with an unchanged lifestyle had deteriorating symptoms in 23 per cent of cases, compared with the active group in which only 8 per cent felt worse.

The full results were published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.