INTRODUCTION: Increased intestinal permeability is a possible pathophysiological mechanism of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Increased colonic epithelial permeability is associated with visceral nociception in rodents and abdominal pain severity in IBS patients. Although IBS is more common in women, most studies on IBS-associated epithelial dysfunction have largely overlooked sex as a biologic variable. METHODS: Men and women with Rome III- and Rome IV-positive IBS and HCs rated GI symptoms including abdominal pain severity at baseline, 24 h prior and immediately post procedure. Epithelial function was assessed RESULTS: 44 IBS patients (66% women, 30 years) and 19 HCs (53% women, 28 years) were enrolled. The proportion of women was not different between groups. As a group, IBS patients exhibited lower TEER compared to HCs (16.9 ± 5.5 vs. 21.5 ± 6.5 Ω/cm DISCUSSION: Our study confirms prior reports that IBS patients demonstrate altered sigmoid colonic epithelial function and shows for the first time that these are independent of sex. However, sex differences in sigmoid colonic epithelial function are observed independently of disease status. Further studies are needed to delineate if intestinal permeability interacts with other factors in the pathophysiology of IBS and if these interactions differ by sex.