Good Gut 'Bugs' Help Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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An artical that I thought was very interesting and might help other people who are like me and suffer from IBS. I found this to be a VERY interesting read.Good Gut 'Bugs' Help Irritable Bowel SyndromeProbiotics Growing into First-Line IBS Treatment By Daniel DeNoonWebMD Medical News Oct. 31, 2005 - It's not a Halloween prank. Live bugs are the hottest new treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).The "bugs" aren't insects. They're live bacteria. When bad bacteria grow in our bodies, we call them germs. Good bacteria ingested for health effects are called probiotics.Probiotics already are in your grocery and health food store in capsules, tablets, gel caps, liquids, and in cultured yogurt products. Not every probiotic product has proven health effects. But as a medical treatment, they're more than just the latest health fad, says University of New Mexico researcher Mohamed O. Othman, MD.Othman is one of several researchers reporting on probiotics research at this week's 70th annual scientific meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Honolulu."Probiotics now have been used in many diseases, not only IBS but also ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and in both children and adults with lactose intolerance," Othman tells WebMD. "It is a new field, and there is a lot of investigation going on."**Help for Some, Harm for None?**Early studies show that some specific probiotics help some IBS patients -- but not others, says gastroenterologist Jay W. Marks, MD. Marks is medical and pharmacy editor for MedicineNet.com, a WebMD company."Some patients with IBS respond to treatment with probiotics. But probiotics are clearly not a panacea," Marks tells WebMD. "They are not all the same. Different probiotic bacteria have different effects on the intestine. So we expect it will be important to use the right probiotic for the right patient -- which is not clear yet. We still don't know which ones are appropriate for which patients."Even so, doctors are recommending probiotics to some IBS patients. That's because the probiotics tested in clinical trials have done no harm, says probiotics researcher Eamon Quigley, MD, of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Center at University Cork College, Ireland."If probiotics are as effective as we think, the great advantage is their safety," Quigley tells WebMD. "There is no evidence of any safety issue. They have the potential to be an effective first-line therapy for IBS and other bowel symptoms in a very safe manner."B. infantis for IBSQuigley's team recently reported data from a study of 77 women with IBS. The researchers gave some of the women a probiotic strain called Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 -- a Proctor & Gamble product called Bifantis, sold in capsule form as Align. The other volunteers received a probiotic called Lactobacillus salivarius UCC4331 or an inactive placebo.Women who received the lactobacillus strain did not do significantly better than those who got the placebo. But those treated with Bifantis had significantly less abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating and distention, and bowel movement difficulty.These findings led to a larger, multicenter study of Bifantis. Quigley presented some of this study's first results at this week's ACG meeting. He reported that Bifantis normalized bowel habits for women with IBS. The probiotic worked for women with diarrhea-predominant IBS and for those with constipation-predominant IBS."If you look at those who were treated with [Bifantis], whether they started with loose stools or hard stools, they had normalization of bowel habits regardless of what they started out with," Quigley says.Probiotics: A Growing FieldIn their report to the ACG meeting, Othman and colleagues reviewed major clinical studies of probiotics in the treatment of IBS. There were eight studies in their review -- but Othman says that there soon will be more."In 1989 we looked at probiotics research, but there was only one study and it was not well known -- even though it showed promising results," Othman says. "By 1994 people started to do more and more studies. The peak is right now. Every three months you find something in the medical literature on probioticssomething in the medical literature on probiotics and its use in different diseasesdifferent diseases."In general, the studies were promising, if inconclusive. Now that probiotics seem to work in early trials, Othman says, it's time for larger studies to show exactly what they can do -- and for whom."For bowel disease in general, it's hard to say what the studies really show. But for IBS, a lot of patients can improve," Othman says. "I try it with a lot of my patients. Some do not respond at all. Some have a good response. I have some IBS patients who tried everything for their diarrhea without success. And after one week of probiotics, the diarrhea stops. But for other patients, we give the probiotic and nothing happens."Othman says he has not yet given the Bifantis product to patients. He's tried a mixture of eight different bacteria (including a strain of Bifidobacterium infantis) called VSL #3 from Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals. He's also tried a lactobacillus GG product."Both of them work for some patients, and both didn't work for some patients," he says.**Why Do Probiotics Work for IBS?**Exactly how probiotics work is a question that bedevils researchers.The most obvious theory is that the good bacteria displace bad bacteria. That appears to be part of the answer, says Marks. One thing that may affect some IBS patients is called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or SIBO.The large intestine carries a lot of bacteria -- about a billion organisms per milliliter of fluid. But the small intestine is only supposed to have 10,000 organisms per milliliter of fluid. And the small intestine is supposed to have different bacteria than the large intestine.There's good evidence that some people with IBS have SIBO: an overgrowth of large-intestine bacteria in their small intestines. Unfortunately, Marks says, there's no simple test to detect SIBO. But patients who do have SIBO may benefit from probiotics. The good bacteria may displace the bad bacteria in the small intestine.That's one issue. Another issue of perhaps even greater importance comes from the Quigley team's research. They find that probiotics may make subtle but important changes in the way a person's immune system works.The immune system has built in switches that turn inflammatory immune responses on or off. This kind of immune response can be very helpful in responding to acute infection or injury. But in some people with IBS, the switch for inflammatory immune responses seems to be stuck in the "on" position. In ways that are not yet understood, probiotics turn this switch off."There is quite a bit of evidence that there is a change in immune function in IBS," Quigley says. "In other words, if you look in detail, you see evidence of inflammatory immune activation in IBS. Certain probiotics have potent anti-inflammatory effects that can restore the balance."Marks is very interested in these findings, which he calls "extremely tantalizing." But he warns IBS patients that not every product sold as a probiotic is helpful."People should not just go to a health food store and buy any probiotic on the shelf," he says. "You want to use one that has been medically studied and that has appropriate effects. About three or four of those available have been tested. VSL #3 is the most tested, then there is lactobacillus GG, another is Flora-Q."Link to Artical: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/114/111304.htm?pagenumber=1

In reply to:Women who received the lactobacillus strain did not do significantly better than those who got the placebo. But those treated with Bifantis had significantly less abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating and distention, and bowel movement difficulty.This is an important point. Some people thinkc that eating yougart, which contains lactobacillus (and other bacteria), will do the job, but the bacteria found in yougart are not native to the human digestive system. Youguart is a fine and healthy food, but if you're looking for probiotic effect, it's better to look elsewhere.

Exactly. I am actually a little upset that I have been dealing with IBS for almost 6 years now and it was never mentioned to me about Probiotics. Not saying it would have "cured" my problems, but it would have been another avenue to explore. I am without a doubt mentioning this to my specialist next week at my checkup. It seems a lot of people are getting relieve of their IBS symptoms with something as simple as Probiotics. Though I am not exactly happy with my specialist at this time. Last week he had a Small Bowel Follow Through series of x-rays done and than he put me on Xifaxan (An antibiotic that does not absorb through the blood stream but instead goes into the intestinal track) thinking that maybe I had a 'bad' bacteria over growth in the intestinal track. He had me taking it for 10 days, two pills three times a day. Two days after starting the antibiotic I started getting bad stomach pains and cramping as well as bad diarrhea. Finally yesterday my specialist told me to stop taking the Xifaxan immediate and today my symptoms almost seem to be double as bad.What really upsets me is I did some research yesterday and found out that Xifaxan is in clinic trials to help people with IBS, but right now the statistics are not looking good; only 37% of those in the clinic trials seem an improvement and it’s only an improvement to the bloating NOT the pain or diarrhea/constipation. In the same article it stated a few times that “Xifaxan is NOT an approved treatment for IBS” that was as of Oct 31st 2006. I feel like he did his own clinic trial on me without my consent.

In the same article it stated a few times that “Xifaxan is NOT an approved treatment for IBS” that was as of Oct 31st 2006.Doctors often prescribe drugs for off-label use, but it's interesting that that there was an article that specifically said that it was not recommended for the purpose. My mom was prescribed Nerontin, an anti-convulsive, to treat a type of nerve pain. A lot of doctors did. It turned out that the drug was inappropriate for the purpose (because of side-effects, I think). The made her tired, so she refused to take them anyway.It's possible that probiotics might be helpful for various kinds of bowel diseases and complaints. IBS is tough to deal with because it's still not well-understood.If I were you, I'd get a second opinion from another doctor. If it turns out that you like him or her, you might want to think about changing docs.

IBS is tough to deal with because it's still not well-understood.Yuppers. It’s a rough thing to deal with because there really is no stable treatment for IBS; It’s very hit or miss. I have tried about everything they could think of (Excluding the probiotics that I will be talking to them about) and a few of those seemed to help for a short period of time and things eventually would go back to normal within a few weeks. Worst part is my IBS is progressively getting worse to the point I am more of a hermit at home because I never know when the next attack will happen or when I’ll start feeling ill. Anymore it’s a constant pain in my abdomen. I am only 26 years old and I feel like I’m missing out on so much because I cannot go on long road trips, hell I cannot even go to the bars and shoot pool anymore because of this. I dread visiting my father and he only lives 1.5 hours away and it’s because of the drive and not knowing if I’m going to have an attack or not. >If I were you, I'd get a second opinion from another doctor. If it turns out that you like him or her, you might want to think about changing docs.I’ve actually thought about doing just that. I have a follow up with my specialist next week and after my talk with him it’ll let me know if I am going to get a second opinion. I will admit that sometimes he makes me feel like I am making this up or is too bothered to deal with me. Sorry but I am not making this up. When you are out with your friends shoot pool and having a good time and than BAM I feel like I’m about to double over in pain from stomach cramping; sorry but that’s not making it up or it being in my head. Sorry that was a mini rant, but sometimes I just want to scream and be like “Someone Fix Me!!” LoL. Dealing with this for six years, especially being young and dealing with this, I can see how people go crazy and even fall into depression over it.

my cousin has ibs..and i think my mother,and my brother has a touch of it as well..it really sucks. sorry to hear hunnikiss

There are lots of people with this and other chronic problems. Have you checked into support groups? They may be good for moral support, but they can also be a good source of information and of ideas for treatment.

Actually I never thought about support groups before. It's something I will have to look into. Perhaps being around other people who can relate to what I am going through will help as well. My BF and family members just don't understand and seem to get frustrated with me, though it's not something I can control. Actually, these symptoms seem to have put stress of my relationship with my BF. He tries to say he understands but I can tell he gets very frustrated and upset with me over it.Middle of last week I went to my pharmacist and he gave me some strong probiotics as well as some other probiotics that I take three times a day. Though it's certainly too soon to say anything too positive, I will say that my stomach pains have decreased.

Well, less tummyaches is definatly a good thing!! Keep us posted on how it goes.My gut goes the opposite way I get stressed, and it can be days before I go. In all your searching, do you think "good bugs" could help with that too?

It's worth a try for sure; most probiotics are pretty inexpensive as well. The purpose of the probotics is to help build the good bacteria in your intestinal track helping to keep it balanced. So basically if you have issues with constipation it'll help get things moving again or if you have issues with diarrhea it’s going to help slow things down.I got Flora Q, which was pretty expensive; 9 tabs for $16 but I thought it was worth it to give my system an extra boost. But I also got something called “Acidophilus with Bifidus” it was only $7 for 100 wafers (which actually taste really good!!) and you take 1 three times a day. Stress can play a HUGE part in intestinal function and anything to help aid it in its process is always worth a shot! Especially when you are talking about something that’s completely safe and natural. hug

Thanks Eddie, that was an interesting read. I'm going to add it to my "To try" list, which is about the length of a four story house now.I've had IBS since I was around 14 (I'm guessing) but wasn't diagnosed until last year (20 next month). I had always assumed it was an intollerance to lactose.It can be a really hard illness to live with, and it's difficult not to let it take over your life. Since I work in film, it's not the illness to have - I get stressed a lot, eat at irregular times, don't have constant access to a toilet, and I can't leave set most of the time. Luckily theres only ever been a small number of bad days, since I'm always too occupied to think about it - but since having a break from work and going through a month when my IBS was really bad its making me more and more worried about starting work again - this triggers the symptoms, resulting in a vicious circle. If I can get in the frame of mind that I'm in when I'm busy at work, then I should be ok.It's always in the back of my mind though, if it gets really bad like it was a few months ago (when I was diagnosed) I wouldn't be able to continue with my career - and would have to do something from home - I'll have to wait and see. Theres bound to be something that I can do that can make me just as much money, if not, loads more (aspiring millionaire here). Again, it's something that has staggering statistics related to people quitting their careers and letting it take over their lives.My main treatment are sachets of Fybogel Mebeverine which I sometimes take before meals if I'm having a bad day, or feel one coming on - these work pretty well, and stop the intestines from spazming. I was perscribed some tablets before hand which did nothing for me. Back in September when things were pretty grim, I went to a Chinese Doctor (who specializes in alternative healing) who gave me a weeks supply of herbal tea which I had to heat up and drink twice a day - it looked pretty awful, and tasted very bitter - but by the end of the course I actually began to enjoy it - my "swamp water" as mum dubbed it. It was around £35 for two cups a day, for a week - that's roughly around $65.Recently I've been exercising my stomach muscles lots, which is supposed to help tone the intestines, making them less likely to spasm.I've also found that Absinthe actually helps a lot too. I've no idea why, since alcohol is supposed to trigger symptoms (although this is sometimes debated about). It's about 68% proof, but is made from lots of herbs and plants - which seem to do me good when I drink it. Maybe try a glass of that a night? It's not particularly cheap, but has helped me many a time - not only that, but it's an aprodisiac and gets you drunk in no time - if you want it to!Jay.

Glad you found the article interesting like I did. Just the other day I was at my specialist and he is now trying me on hardcore probiotics as well as something called Rubinol Forte (I believe I am spelling that right) that is basically to help with stomach spasms and supposedly help re-train my intestinal spasms.I plan on 2007 being a better year and getting whatever this stomach issue is in order so I can get on with my life. As you said it’s very easy to let it control your life, and it has mine. I figure is there is no positive reaction with this new course of treatment I will give another shot with my herbalist, I knew he had another option he wanted to try as well. I hope things start getting better for you Jay! Keep me posted.

lol. I wish I would have stumbled across this post when it was new.I was diagnosed with Crohns a while back. Maybe 3 years now. Anyway, I've been using herbal things to help with it. Some of the herbs include putting the "good germs" back into my body. I also drink herbal teas with Ginger in it to help with digestion.Here's the kicker. When I was shopping for some probiotics, I met a woman that's VERY interesting to say the least.She goes to the shelf and says, "oh this on my be good for you" then proceeds to tell me all about the herbs that are in it. Then she goes, "oh, this may even be better."We walk to the fridge in the back of the room and pulls out a bottle of powder and talks about it for a while.I ask, "well, which one do you think I should take?"She says, "I honestly can't tell you. Let's ask your body!"I'm a little confused by this, but then she proceeds to perform Energy Kinesiology on me. Once we were done with the muscle test, she says, "well, your body says it likes this one better."lol. Very good experience and I got to pick her brain a little. At first I thought she was just kind of nutty... but then I tried out Kinesiology on other people and it's quite amazing.

LoL I know what you mean. Those types of people are very interesting to talk to and to, as you said, pick their brain.

Though medical science has some a long way to help many illnesses I still feel (And this is my opinion, not fact)nature has a lot to offer when it comes to treating and possibly curing diseases/disorders.

I think nature does have a lot to offer. More than a lot of doctors give it credit for. I think a lot of our health issues comes from the foods we eat. Pesticides, herbicides, artificial nutrients in our soil, hormones, the list goes on. What are we putting into our bodies these days, ya know?

Exactly! One thing I liked about last summer was that I had my first garden. It was nice having fresh veggies to eat. I went as far as to get organic seeds when planting. I didn't use any pesticides, but did use a natural dust to get rid of these little athids (spelling??).Anywyas, I noticed that my body reacted better to my organic veggies than to the store bought ones.I really hope they start looking to nature for cures instead of man made remedies that really only supresses the problem instead of curing it. But again just my opinion lol.

Try kefir...it's almost like a thick, liquid yogurt but with different cultures that really help the situation you've described. You have to drink it each day as it doesn't seem to stay in the system, but it really helps calm the stomach and is a great snack because it makes your stomach feel full. You can find it at most healthy food stores.

Well for my Probiotic the doc has me on FloraQ, which is a really good probiotic (can only get it from the pharmacist). I take it once a day. I've Only been on it a short while so cannot say yay or nah on how it's working with my system. Takes a couple weeks for your system to truly notice a difference.

I would love to have my own little garden. My parents have a small green house, as well as a small herb garden. My Grandma uses a lot of the herbs and roots of nearby plants to heal a lot of common ailments like stomach ache, head ache, fever, rash, stuff like that. Sounds much much better than popping an aspirin or tylenol to me!Your body will react a lot better to those organic foods. I know mine really does. It beats the heck out of the foods in the store. "Fresh Produce" isn't even fresh anymore. Geez.I started taking my all natural probiotic today. I'm in high hopes.On another note, you got any good recipes for stuff that's IBS / IBD friendly?

On another note, you got any good recipes for stuff that's IBS / IBD friendly? Not really, mainly because my IBS seems to be affected by everything I eat anymore. In the last 6-7 years of dealing with this disorder, it has progressively gotten worse. Yet they keep basically telling me nothing is wrong... nice huh? lol. BUT with people who have true IBS, staying away from caffeine, spicy foods, greasy foods are always a plus.I went to an Irologist who said he seen my main issue that he could see was intestinal issues, and most likely caused by sugar. I am a candy freak, as much as I know I shouldn't be it's my true addiction. So in combination of taking the new meds I am going to start cutting the sugar from my diet. I just hope to get it at elast to a point of control so I can actually get back into my daily life.