In a past blog post, I wrote about holistic approach for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A quick summary: IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder causing symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, sometimes alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation, and a change in frequency or consistency of stools. While the cause is not clearly understood, it is currently believed to be multifactorial - a combination of environmental, inherited, and psychosocial factors. Though IBS is a non-fatal condition, the symptoms can really reduce the quality of life of those who suffer from it! (See my blog post for more details.)
In continuation of this topic, I’d like to share a new research review that was published this past September in a scientific journal called Nutrients.
This review investigates the effects of probiotic supplementation on IBS symptoms. (For those of you who don’t read research reviews for your literary enjoyment, a research review is a review of previously published research by others. It analyzes, explains, and assesses the validity other studies.) This review includes 11 randomized controlled trials conducted within the last five years. This is an interesting article because it is currently believed that alterations in the gut microbiome is likely a contributor to IBS. And thus, can taking probiotics help reduce IBS symptoms?
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when administered in adequate amounts. While the science of the mechanisms of probiotics in the human body are currently only partly known, there are studies that suggest they reduce pathogenic bacteria overgrowth, can improve gut barrier function, and are linked to a wide range of health benefits - like digestive health, immune function, and mental health.
The review found that studies administering a multi-strain (vs. a single-strain) probiotic supplement presented improvement of IBS symptoms. The type of probiotic supplements in the reviewed studies were are all different from each other (according to form, amount, microbial strains, and combinations of microbial strains). However to note, the two most common bacterial families included were the Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae.
What this means is that continued research is needed to identify the specific bacterial strains or probiotic supplements with beneficial effects on IBS symptoms, and thus may lead to more effective and targeted therapy strategies. In short. If you have IBS, you may benefit from taking a multi-strain probiotic.
So give it a try. And come see us at DHH to learn more about diet, supplements, lifestyle, and diagnostic testing that may be helpful if you have IBS. Follow this link for the full research review article.
Reference:
Dale, H.F., Rasmussen, S. H., Ozgun, O. A., & Gulen, A.L. 2019. Nutrients, 11(9), 2048; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092048.