Relationship Between Probiotics And Ibs
Does probiotic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome have a relationship with the severity of IBS?
There is no definitive evidence as to whether or not this is true.
However, patients who receive stringent dietary interventions as a part of their treatment often report a reduction in the severity of their Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.
One study did find that the administration of Lactobacillus reuteri might help alleviate diarrhea in patients with IBS. In this case, diarrhea occurred in patients that had low levels of the good bacteria .
This suggests that probiotics may benefit patients who have a less desirable intestinal flora than those who have normal levels.
The relationship between probiotics and irritable bowel syndrome isnt well understood, but it is believed that the gut-brain axis may be at play.
The connection among digestive issues such as IBS is not clearly defined, however, theres speculation this could have something to do with the gut-mind circuit.
This hypothesis proposes that what we eat has an effect on how people feel inside their head because of changes in hormone levels or neurotransmitter levels in our brain which sends messages to other parts of our body including the digestion system.
Reason #2 You Feel Worse When You Take Probiotics
There are handful of reasons for die off but The changes that might cause die-off are usually:
1. Switching from processed food to a real food diet 2. Starting or increasing probiotic dosage 3. Starting or increasing dosage of antiparasitic, anti-yeast or antibiotic
In each of these scenarios, the change in treatment will cause substantial changes in gut flora and knock out a big portion of the bad guys.
When that happens, they release toxins that need to be excreted by the body. So, can you see how each of the major changes above actually causes a release of toxins?
So if you suspect die off my suggestion is to try and push through the process within 3-7 days your diet off symptoms will subside- if it becomes unbearable- discontinue for a day or two and then try again at half dosage. Symptoms that make me think of die off include typical flu-like or cold-like symptoms
Your whole body is becomes increasing sluggish and it usually feels as if your body is working harder any symptoms that you currently have become magnified.
What Could Cause Sibo In The First Place
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Can I Get Probiotics From Food
You can absolutely increase beneficial microbes in your body from the foods you eat. Certain foods have probiotics in them and can benefit the health of your microbiome.
These foods can be introduced into your diet at any point of the day. You may even be regularly eating them now and not realize that they contain probiotics. You will want to check the food label for live and active cultures. A few suggestions for just some of the probiotic-rich foods you can add to your diet and some times to try them include:
For breakfast, try:
- Powders.
- Liquids.
Probiotic supplements may be combined with a prebiotic. Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that feed the microorganisms in your gut. Basically, prebiotics are the food source for the good bacteria. They help feed the good bacteria and keep it healthy. Prebiotics include inulin, pectin and resistant starches.
When you have a supplement that combines a probiotic and prebiotic, its called a synbiotic.
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How Effective They Are
To help you understand what to expect when taking probiotics for IBS, I did small research for the last updated review studies on PubMed.
The most recent review study was a 2019 paper titled Probiotics In Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An UP-To-Date Systematic Review.
what a review study does is collecting and analyzing the results of other research work on a specific topic.
This review study found That 63.6% of the included clinical trials reported significant improvement in IBS symptoms with probiotics. The remaining 36.4 % found No improvement of IBS symptoms. Even some reported worsened IBS symptoms with probiotics.
Worth mentioning, The same review study found That probiotics Containing multiple strains improved IBS symptoms more Than single-strain probiotics.
Another recent meta-analysis promoted by The American College Of Gastroenterology Concluded That
- Overall, probiotics can decrease IBS symptoms By 19%
- Better results with certain strains such as Lactobacillus Plantarum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Streptococcus Faecium, & some E. coli species.
- No significant side effects of probiotics.
- Results are inconsistent, and the meta-analysis could not provide a definitive recommendation about its efficacy.
However, the World Gastroenterology organization global guidelines on probiotics Indicate That They may reduce overall IBS symptoms, especially abdominal pain, Bloating, and distention.
Some Strains Of Probiotics Are Inactive Or Not Potent Enough
Bacteria within commercial probiotics like yogurt or kombucha need to be refrigerated to survive or they will become inactive due to stomach acid.
You could be consuming inactive probiotics that are advertised as being healthy and effective, when in reality youre just consuming calories without the probiotic benefits.
Some probiotics are also more potent than others and therefore will have a higher chance of surviving in the harsh conditions of your stomach and will have a better chance of having a positive effect on your gut health.
If the strain isnt strong enough, then it may not survive, and the likelihood is youll continue taking the probiotics with the mindset that they take a while to work while its actually doing nothing for your body apart from adding extra calories.
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Pathogenesis Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The pathogenesis of IBS is incompletely understood but is known to be multifactorial and complex in nature. Peripheral factors such as abnormal GI motility, low-grade inflammation, increased epithelial permeability and visceral hypersensitivity are recognised as important factors, as are psychosocial aspects.
Abnormal motility has historically been considered an important factor in IBS pathogenesis. Exaggerated motility response in the small intestine and the colon to stimuli such as food and stress has been demonstrated, which may contribute to urgency, diarrhoea and pain symptoms. Altered mucosal secretion and/or uptake of serotonin into enterocytes are likely to be important in motility abnormalities in IBS, and recent evidence confirms the key role of the microbiota in modulating colonic motility, at least in animal models.
One key pathophysiological feature of IBS is visceral hypersensitivity, or the intensification of signals from the GI tract to the brain, which leads to augmentation of symptom response in the IBS patient. Visceral afferent responses are induced by luminal, mechanical and chemical stimuli in the GI tract. Visceral hypersensitivity measured via rectal balloon distension has revealed that at least 50 % of IBS patients have enhanced visceroperception on balloon inflation compared to only 6 % of controls. The GI microbiota and psychological distress have been theorised as mediators of this enhanced sensitivity.
Colonic Transit And Motility
Effects of probiotics on colonic transit have been reported in IBS patients with predominant bloating. In IBS patients with predominant bloating, the colonic transit was significantly retarded with probiotic VSL#3 relative to placebo. The effect on transit was not associated with the worsening of bowel function. Bazzocchi et al showed that the colons reflex motor responses to balloon distension were reduced during an open-label study with VSL#3. Further studies are indicated to explore the mechanism of the retarded transit of stools and potential effects on colonic sensation and fermentation of nutrients reaching the colon.
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The Effect Of Low Levels Of Good Bacteria
Researchers have determined that the human body is made up of 10 trillion cells. Studies show, in fact, that it has 100 times more bacteria than our own immune system cells!
This means we need to be conscious about how much good stuff we are eating or putting on ourselves so as not to get outsmarted by bad microbes and their effects.
A correlation has been drawn between low levels of the good bacteria and the occurrence of abdominal pain and other Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.
Low levels of the bacteria occur in certain individuals more frequently than in others. These individuals, whose intestinal flora is less desirable, are more likely to report the presence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms.
Low levels of good bacteria can be the result of ageing, lack of sleep, or stress.
Ageing contributes to a reduction in our natural defence against bad bacteria and other harmful organisms that cause disease-causing inflammation within us.
The bodys response to these pathogens is reduced with age which leads to an increase in problems stemming from these types of infections such as inflammatory bowel syndrome , colitis, Crohns Disease, and more importantly colon cancer.
Lack of sleep also reduces immune system function so it leaves you at risk for infections like cold viruses or pneumonia.
About Irritable Bowel Syndrome
With irritable bowel syndrome , youre likely to live with the condition for years and often for life. Your symptoms will usually come and go over this time. They can range from mild to severe enough to affect your daily life. Some peoples symptoms improve over time while others get worse. Sometimes, IBS goes away on its own.
Between one and two in 10 people in the UK are thought to have IBS. You can develop it at any age, but its most common for symptoms to start between the ages of 20 and 30. Its less common for IBS to start later in life. Youre at greater risk of other bowel conditions causing your symptoms over the age of 40. So, its important to get any changes checked out. Women are twice as likely as men to report having symptoms of IBS.
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Which Probiotics Are Best For Ibs
Not sure which probiotic is best for your form of IBS? If you are unsure which type of IBS you have and what probiotic would be best for you, then it would be a good idea to opt for a high-quality daily product containing probiotics supported with clinical trials. My personal favourite strain for IBS is Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 which has been shown to help with:
- Abdominal discomfort
- Loose stools
- Bowel regularity
As you can see the clinical trial shows this is a great all-rounder and would be helpful to support all types of IBS, so ideally you would choose a daily product that has Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 in it.
Healthcare professionals can learn more about Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 on the Probiotics Database.
So, to summarise, the probiotic strains you may wish to consider:
- For IBS-D & post-infectious IBS – Saccharomyces boulardii
- For IBS-C – Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®
- For IBS-A – Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM®
- For IBS-U – Bifidobacterium lactis HN019
Please note: if you are struggling with IBS, we advise you to seek advice and assistance from your healthcare practitioner in all instances.
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Will They Come Back Again
IBS symptoms are not fun, but neither is permanent dietary restriction! You can definitely improve your symptoms by starving out the bugs, but as soon as you reintroduce their favourite carbohydrate food sources back into your diet, theyll be back with a vengeance wont they? Normally, yes. But if you can figure out & understand why did I end up with too many bacteria in my small intestine in the first place?, youll have a good chance of keeping things from getting that bad again. When you eat, dont just consider the nutrition youre feeding yourself, also consider the gut microbial impact you need to eat in a way that helps support a balanced ecosystem. And this can vary a lot from person to person!
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Foods To Avoid For Your Ibs
IBS affects roughly 20% of the population globally. It is more common in women than men and often occurs when the persons diet contains too much refined sugar or yeast, which then stimulates a reaction in the intestines.
Most patients with irritable bowel syndrome are advised to stay away from foods that are high in yeast, sugar, or milk.
For example, milk, sugar, white bread, and other wheat-based products should be avoided. Other foods to avoid are also generally thought to be higher in fat content, which can exacerbate abdominal pain and other IBS symptoms.
Avoiding these foods may help to reduce symptoms:
- Spicy or greasy food
- High fiber content
- Fried dishes, such as fried fish and french fries because they have high-fat content
Incorrect Design Means These Probiotics Dont Even Reach The Stomach
Some probiotic products are not designed well and wont even have a chance to work on your gut health, as they dont make it to your stomach.
Some probiotic tablets or products can easily dissolve on the tongue and may never reach your stomach, so all the good things they claim to do, like balance your digestive system, alleviate cravings, boost your metabolism, and encourage weight loss dont ever occur.
Therefore, you could be consuming more calories from the probiotics in the hopes that they are helping you to burn off the extra calories, when in reality they didnt even get delivered to your gut to have a chance to work their magic.
Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium are the probiotic strains that are popular and recommended for good gut health. They products online contain the strains:
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Some Probiotic Strains Promote Weight Gain
There are strains of probiotics out there that can promote weight gain, so without you knowing you may be taking one of these strains and expecting it to help you lose weight.
These weight gain strains can be given to people who are recovering from anorexia or bulimia to help them gain weight during the refeeding phase of their recovery process.
Eating disorders and illnesses like this can severely impact gut health and therefore probiotics are useful for establishing more balanced gut health and encouraging weight gain.
One popular strain that is used for weight gain is Lactobacillus Acidophilus which alters the bacteria in your gut to encourage cell growth, and therefore weight gain.
If youre looking for probiotics for weight loss then your best bet is to try a thermogenic probiotic that produces heat in the body to metabolize the fat more quickly.
The key ingredient is Lactobacillus gasseri. However, these thermogenic probiotics should be taken carefully and following the instructions on the label. You should also follow a healthy diet and active lifestyle alongside taking these kinds of probiotics if you aim to lose weight.
What Will The Doctor Do
Most kids get a stomachache, constipation, or diarrhea now and then. This doesnt mean a kid has IBS.
But when a kid has these problems regularly, a doctor may think it could be IBS. Here are some questions the doctor might ask:
There is no test to diagnose IBS. Doctors often diagnose the problem just by listening to a person describe the symptoms. Thats why its really important for kids to talk with their parents and their doctor about their symptoms, even if it seems embarrassing.
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Remove The Bugs Improve The Symptoms
The bugs depend upon you supplying the easily fermented carbs to survive in the small intestine. If their food supply dries up, theyll gradually die off / migrate back to the bowel. So many people have great success eliminating their IBS symptoms by starving the SIBO organisms out, & there are some who have success using antibiotics too .
When Is It A Problem
However, in the case of short bowel syndrome or of small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth , that bacterial balance is altered and there can be an increase of D-lactate and/or a reduction of D-lactate degradation . Its really critical to know here that SIBO is believed to be a cause of around 70% of IBS cases. Thus, people with IBS and/or SIBO could potentially be experiencing elevatedD-lactate levels. Ive definitely seen that some IBS and SIBO patients do experience brain fog that comes and goes, especially after meals. This is a big sign that D-lactate could be an issue.
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