Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestive disorder that affects about 11% of people in the developed world. But what exactly is it, what is the cause, how is it treated and how can FoodMarble help?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestive disorder that affects about 11% of people in the developed world. But what exactly is it, what is the cause, how is it treated and how can FoodMarble help?
Doctors refer to IBS as a “functional gastrointestinal disorder”. Essentially, people suffer symptoms without there being visible structural changes to their digestive tract. This is what makes IBS different from other digestive diseases.
IBS has four categories based on which symptom is most common. These include diarrhea, constipation, mixed, or unclassified – IBS-D, IBS-C, IBS-M and IBS-U.
Most people develop IBS before middle age, and women are about twice as likely to be diagnosed. While we don’t know what causes IBS, there are a few factors that can increase your risk of developing it:
IBS features a collection of symptoms that occur together, but these are the most common:
Many people with IBS report a range of other symptoms. These can include:
Currently, there’s no unifying theory that can explain IBS symptoms. In fact, the general scientific consensus is that there are multiple factors that contribute to IBS.
While the cause remains unknown, we do know that IBS features a dysfunctional relationship between the brain and gut. When the two fail to work together, the intestines may become hypersensitive, causing pain. The smooth muscle controlling contraction of the gastrointestinal tract may not work properly. When this happens, food moves either too quickly, causing diarrhea, or too slowly, causing constipation.
It’s likely that there are different subgroups of IBS patients, with different causes. For some people, the disease may start in the gut. From there, it feeds back to the brain, leading to symptoms like mood change and anxiety. In others, the order may be reversed, with feelings of stress and anxiety causing IBS.
In other patients, there could be an entirely different cause. For example, genetics, disrupted bile acid metabolism, and microbiome imbalance could be at play.
Special diets are one of the mainstays of IBS management. Recently, there has been a lot of focus on low FODMAP diets and elimination diets. Both have proved effective but are often time-consuming and stressful; you can read Kathleen’s experience here. One thing to bear in mind is FoodMarbles Food Sensitivity Testing Kit, this kit allows you to test your tolerance for four of the main FODMAP groups. This testing kit must be used with one of our devices but you can add it to your order.
Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols.
FODMAPs are a family of highly fermentable sugars. Some people can’t fully absorb these sugars, so they end up in the colon undigested. There, your gut bacteria eat the sugars in a process called fermentation. As they ferment the sugar, the bacteria release gas. It’s then absorbed into the bloodstream and released when you exhale. It can be measured on your breath to gauge how much fermentation is happening in your gut.
In most people, fermentation is healthy. However, in patients with IBS, excess gas combined with a sensitive gut can cause discomfort. Studies have shown that avoiding these fermentable sugars can help reduce IBS symptoms.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that colonize your gut and have many potential health benefits. These can come in the form of concentrated supplements or through eating fermented foods, like kefir. Prebiotics are supplements or foods that feed those bacteria. Studies have shown that probiotics can help reduce IBS symptoms.
Doctors choose which medication to use based on the patient’s symptoms. Some researchers recommend things that reduce spasms, including peppermint oil. There is also good evidence that anti-depressants can be effective for IBS.
Drugs like loperamide and rifaximin are often used to treat IBS patients with diarrhea. For those with constipation, soluble fibre supplements, laxatives, and drugs like lubiprostone and linaclotide are sometimes recommended.
IBS affects 1 in 8 people globally, there are many potential solutions but we believe one of the key solutions is taking control and finding out which foods work for you and which don’t and this is where the FoodMarble devices and our Food Sensitivity Testing Kit can help.
IBS and digestive symptoms can put a person under a lot of strain, we know how much they affect the lives of our customers. If you are looking to find the root cause of your digestive issues check out our AIRE device and FODMAP Testing Kit, this digestive duo are changing the face of IBS treatment.