Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, as well as bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea.

It affects 7–21% of people worldwide and is three times more prevalent in women than men in the West, though the difference is not as great in Asia.

The exact causes of IBS are unknown. However, some suggested causes include changes in digestive motility, infections, brain-gut interactions, bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivities, carbohydrate malabsorption and intestinal inflammation.

IBS symptoms have been linked to certain changes in the gut flora. For example, people with IBS have lower amounts of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in their guts, and higher levels of harmful Streptococcus, E. coli and Clostridium.

Additionally, up to 84% of IBS patients experience bacterial overgrowth in their small intestines, which can lead to many of their symptoms.

Certain medications used to treat symptoms of IBS can damage the healthy bacteria living in the gut.

Therefore, probiotics have been proposed to improve symptoms of IBS by:

1) Inhibiting the growth of disease-causing bacteria

2) Enhancing the immune system’s barrier functions

3) Helping fight inflammation

4) Slowing down bowel movements

5) Reducing gas production by balancing the gut flora

6) Reducing the gut’s sensitivity to gas buildup