Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common problem these days. Many people suffer from crippling symptoms and there is no cure. Lots of different approaches can be tried to relieve the symptoms from psychotherapy to dietary changes. Increasing numbers of people are turning to probiotics for IBS and finding impressive results.
IBS refers to a collection of symptoms which include, diarrhea, stomach cramps, intestinal bloating, excessive gas, constipation and headaches. The effects can be debilitating and cause sufferers to miss work and have a diminished quality of life. It is estimated that in the United States around twenty percent of the population is suffering from this problem.
You are not alone, about twenty percent of Americans now have this diagnosis. This means that increasing funds are directed to research and in the last few years there have been a couple of reasons for hope. Allergies have been found to damage the gut and lead to IBS so you could try a food allergy test. It is also possible to check for allergies by cutting out different food groups one at a time and seeing what the results are.
The digestive system works with the help of bacteria. They live in our intestines and help break down the food we consume. It is important for this community of bacteria to be in balance and include what have come to be called good bacteria and bad bacteria. If they are out of balance then problems start to occur with the processing of food.
Taking probiotics is a way to re-balance for people who have too many bad bacteria. They are safe and do not have any side effects so it is a good place to start the search for a reduction in symptoms. There are many types of probiotic so it is important to take the most effective one for different types of IBS.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome now has sub-divisions according to the most prevalent symptoms. There is IBS-D where the person has intense bouts of diarrhea and this is the main symptom. In this case the recommended probiotic is Saccharomyces Boulardii. It is prescribed in many hospitals for people who are experiencing diarrhea and has shown good results in helping with this type of IBS.
IBS-C refers to those who have chronic constipation as part of their symptoms. Constipation causes a lot of discomfort and is unhealthy in the long term as the body is not expelling waste. Patients with this symptom can try taking Bifidobacterium Lactis. Combined with fibre this has been found to have a high success rate. IBS-A describes those who have alternating symptoms between loose stools and constipation. This can be extremely uncomfortable and can be reduced by taking a combination of the previous two probiotics or a general daily one.
The best way to find the most effective probiotic is to start with these but if they do not work then try others. Science is only just beginning to understand how gut flora affects health and so the evidence is still sometimes confusing. However, they do not have known side effects so experimenting with different types and strengths is not going to make anyone more sick. There is nothing to lose and much to gain.
IBS refers to a collection of symptoms which include, diarrhea, stomach cramps, intestinal bloating, excessive gas, constipation and headaches. The effects can be debilitating and cause sufferers to miss work and have a diminished quality of life. It is estimated that in the United States around twenty percent of the population is suffering from this problem.
You are not alone, about twenty percent of Americans now have this diagnosis. This means that increasing funds are directed to research and in the last few years there have been a couple of reasons for hope. Allergies have been found to damage the gut and lead to IBS so you could try a food allergy test. It is also possible to check for allergies by cutting out different food groups one at a time and seeing what the results are.
The digestive system works with the help of bacteria. They live in our intestines and help break down the food we consume. It is important for this community of bacteria to be in balance and include what have come to be called good bacteria and bad bacteria. If they are out of balance then problems start to occur with the processing of food.
Taking probiotics is a way to re-balance for people who have too many bad bacteria. They are safe and do not have any side effects so it is a good place to start the search for a reduction in symptoms. There are many types of probiotic so it is important to take the most effective one for different types of IBS.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome now has sub-divisions according to the most prevalent symptoms. There is IBS-D where the person has intense bouts of diarrhea and this is the main symptom. In this case the recommended probiotic is Saccharomyces Boulardii. It is prescribed in many hospitals for people who are experiencing diarrhea and has shown good results in helping with this type of IBS.
IBS-C refers to those who have chronic constipation as part of their symptoms. Constipation causes a lot of discomfort and is unhealthy in the long term as the body is not expelling waste. Patients with this symptom can try taking Bifidobacterium Lactis. Combined with fibre this has been found to have a high success rate. IBS-A describes those who have alternating symptoms between loose stools and constipation. This can be extremely uncomfortable and can be reduced by taking a combination of the previous two probiotics or a general daily one.
The best way to find the most effective probiotic is to start with these but if they do not work then try others. Science is only just beginning to understand how gut flora affects health and so the evidence is still sometimes confusing. However, they do not have known side effects so experimenting with different types and strengths is not going to make anyone more sick. There is nothing to lose and much to gain.
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