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Irritable Bowel Syndrome--How it Originates, How its Being Treated, What
foods Can Help
"Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects up to 20% of adults in the Western
world. It is a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder of function that has a
significant impact on quality of life. In fact, it is second only to the
common cold as a cause for absenteeism--ie, individuals with IBS are roughly
3 times more likely to be absent from work or school 'than those without
it.]...
"A
gender difference in the prevalence of IBS has been reported in most of the
Western world, with affected females outnumbering affected males by at least
2:1. In part, this
discrepancy may be due to differences in healthcare-seeking behavior--in
India, for example, men seek medical assistance more often than do females.
In both sexes, however, symptoms of IBS are typically expressed in young
adulthood, and it is generally a lifelong ailment."
Our
Comment. The above was from an establishment publication, Medscape, and
represents conventional medicine's difficulty in dealing with certain
diseases, as for example, asthma. In the latter case, generally only the
symptoms are treated without an attempt to get at the root cause. Let us
examine the medical and scientific literature to possibly see what is
being done in advanced practice for IBS, if anything.
Much
of the research appears to point to a psychosomatic basis for the disease.
Depression (bi-polar disease) may be a basic cause for IBS's origination.
Could any foods and/or nutrients be helpful? We plough on...
"Fifty-one healthy adults (40 females, 11 males) participated in this study.
No effects on gastric emptying or colonic transit were identified with any
agent 'tested.] Small bowel transit of a solid meal was accelerated by
paroxetine. Buspirone decreased 'post-meal] aggregate symptom and nausea
scores. Venlafaxine-XR increased the 'post-meal] change in gastric volume...
"These
data support the need for clinical and psychological studies of these agents
in functional gastrointestinal disorders." 'Which seemed to say that they
are unproven in patients.] Am. Journal of Gastro. & Liver Physiology. Chial,
Camilieri, Burton
et al., Clinical Enteric Neuroscionce & Epidem. Res. Program, Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, Minn. 55905. Vol. 284, 2003.
Most
reports were based on 5-HT re-uptake inhibitors (seratonin,) since bi-polar
manifestations are often present.
"Depending on the leading symptoms...'treatment] may range from laxatives to
probiotics 'acidophilus, as in yogurt,] anticholinergics or 'spasm
relievers]...to 5-HT 3/HT4 receptor antagonists 'similar effect as re-uptake
inhibitors]..." Fliegner-Baia, Keller & Layer,
Med.
Klinik, Stadtspital Triemli, CH-8063 Zurich, Switz., in MMW Fortschr. Med.,
vol. 17, 2001.
"Most
5-HT (1A) agonists are indeed readily absorbed but are also rapidly
eliminated, thereby often producing either suboptimal therapeutic responses
at low doses, or cumbersome adverse effects at higher doses.
Extended-release formulations allow once-daily dosing regimens, thus
avoiding sharp peak 'blood] concentrations." Blier, Ward, Depts. Psychiatry
and Neuroscience, U. of Florida Brain Inst.,
Gainesville,
Florida.
In Brain Psy., Vol. 1, 2003.
MORE ON CROHN'S DISEASE
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