Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/443876
disease is unclear. At this point in the medical landscape, it seems that probiotics will have a role in treating IBD patients along with traditional, approved treatments. Several trials are under way to determine which probiotics are the most beneficial. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome, commonly called IBS and synonymous with spastic colon, irritable colon, and sensitive gut, is the most common chronic medical condition in the Western world. An estimated 15 million to 30 million people in the United States have IBS. For around 40 percent of IBS patients, the symptoms may be so debilitating that they have to take time off work and curtail their social life. IBS is a true disease of the gut and not a "mental condition," as some patients and even physicians believe. IBS isn't the same as IBD. In IBS, the gut lining is always normal, unlike in IBD. However, even though the bowel isn't damaged, the intestinal muscles and nerves seem to be overly sensitive and overly reactive in IBS patients. IBS is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning your gastroenterologist will make sure that there is nothing more serious going on in your digestive system (like colon cancer or IBD; see the preceding section) with appropriate tests. IBS symptoms may include abdominal pain (cramping or bloating) associated with change in bowel habits. You may have constipation or diarrhea, or may alternate between the two. e medical field has yet to determine the cause or causes of IBS. Here's what researchers have discovered so far: ✓ In most patients, IBS ("sensi tive gut") means that people with IBS have increased or exaggerated response to stress or dietary indis cretions. ✓ In some patients, IBS seems to develop aer a bout of diarrhea from either food poisoning or infection (postinfectious IBS). ✓ SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) may cause IBS. Nor mally, the small intestine contains minimal bacteria; with SIBO, bac teria invade the small intestine. ere is no specific treatment or "cure" for IBS, so, for the time being, doctors treat the symptoms. Depending on what those symptoms are, you'll be treated with antispasmodics, antidiarrheals, and/ or fiber (including products like Metamucil, Citrucel, and inulin) — plus meds that relieve constipation. Certain antidepressants have shown some promise in alleviating symptoms of IBS, and dietary adjustments and psychological interventions may help in some cases (because even though IBS is a true disease of the gut, stress can aggravate the symptoms). Clinical trials have shown that probiotics can reduce IBS symptoms, especially if the patient has SIBO contributing to IBS. Bifidobacterium infantis has been studied extensively and decreases IBS symptoms. A number of other probiotics are effective to varying degrees, although the placebo effect is particularly high in GI studies (see the nearby sidebar, "Looking at the placebo effect"). Right now, there is no proof in medical literature that taking probiotics aer a bout of diarrhea prevents development of IBS in the long run. As future research pins down more specific causes of IBS, many researchers and doctors expect that probiotics will play a greater role in treatment. Looking at the Placebo Effect When researchers test drugs for safety and effectiveness in controlled studies, participants are typically divided into three groups. One group receives the drug; a second group receives a placebo (or "sugar pill," with no medicinal properties); and the third, or "control," group receives no treatment at all. e placebo effect is the phenomenon of patients (and sometimes even researchers) reporting improvement in symptoms when they haven't received any actual medicine. In double-blind studies, where neither the participants nor the researchers know who's receiving the actual drug and who's getting a placebo, the data are less likely to exhibit the placebo effect. However, patients are particularly susceptible, in part because (or so researchers believe) they want to believe they feel better. Abby's Magazine - January/ Fenruary 2015 | Page 21