Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a gastrointestinal disorder that can cause digestive problems. One of the treatment options for IBS is probiotics.
A probiotic is a bacteria that we consume specifically for health benefits. The effectiveness of a probiotic will depend on what species of bacteria it is made up of and what species already exists in your gut or large intestine.
In regards to IBS, it is thought that certain strains of probiotic can promote an anti-inflammatory response, remedy the dysfunction of the gut-brain axis, and improve visceral hypersensitivity, gut dysmotility, and intestinal permeability. However, it is not fully understood how probiotics work in terms of managing IBS.
For the most part, it is believed that probiotics help to improve the overall response to IBS symptoms for IBS patients and that they help with their quality of life.
However, probiotics appear less effective for targeting abdominal pain, bloating, and excessive gas.
Bifidobacterium infantis and VSL#3 were rated as the best probiotics for IBS by a Yale University study in 2011. Other probiotics that have been found to be useful to IBS patients are Symprove and Alflorex/Align. There is also Kijimea and Saccharomyces boulardii, although there has been much less research done on these two and their effectiveness may be negligible. It is best to consult with a health professional when deciding what’s right for you.
Probiotics should never be the only treatment taken for dealing with IBS. Probiotics are more effective when used in tandem with other IBS treatments, such as medications (medications, if recommended by your doctor).
Probiotics work differently for different people. There has been much less research done into probiotics for IBS-C (irritable bowel syndrome with constipation) than for IBS-D (irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea), given that IBS-C is less common than IBS-D. You may have to experiment to find the right strain for you. Always speak to a doctor before starting anything new.
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