How to Manage IBS

Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS, is far more common than many of us may believe. A functional gut disorder that affects 1 in every 7 people, or 15% of the world population, 2 out of every 3 treatment seekers are women.

IBS is characterised by chronic, relapsing symptoms including lower abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, wind, abdominal distension and altered bowel habits - ranging from diarrhoea to constipation. Although much has been talked about IBS in recent years, very few health professionals bring to attention the possible causes that underlie its collection of symptoms. Unfortunately, more often than not, individuals receive an IBS diagnosis and are told not much can be done about it and that they need to learn how to live with it - at best they are told to follow a specific diet but that is how far it goes. 

Our current medical system is oriented towards acute care, the diagnosis and treatment of trauma and illnesses that is of short duration and in need of urgent care, such as a surgery or broken bone - it lacks the proper methodology and tools to asses the underlying causes of complex conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other functional gut disorders.

As a nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner, I have learned that everything starts and ends by addressing the root causes that lead to chronic symptoms. I have been trained to take into consideration genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term conditions such as IBS, and more often than not, imbalances and dysfunctions are the reasons why individuals experience continuous symptoms. 

When Editors Beauty invited me to write a piece on IBS, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bring to attention the possible causes that underlie IBS symptoms that most healthcare providers are not talking about, hoping to encourage those who live with such condition to investigate further and finally put an end to their symptoms. There are five main dysfunctions and imbalances that can lead to IBS symptoms that I would like to share with you today. 

Poor Digestive Output

We need stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes and bile in order to break down and absorb the foods that we eat. If you have low stomach acid production, not only you are not able to digest food properly, but you will also have poor release of pancreatic enzymes and bile which will complicate things further. As the body does not have the right tools to break food down, you may experience digestive discomfort like bloating, wind, abdominal pain, feeling of fullness after eating, heartburn and nausea. Food will take longer to move from the stomach to the next stage of digestion and undigested food particles will arrive in the small and large intestine bigger than they should which will lead to further discomfort.   

Gut Dysbiosis

Gut dysbiosis means there is an imbalance in the gut microbiome (the trillions of microorganisms that reside inside our gut - bacteria, yeast, fungi) where there is too little of the good guys and too much of the not so good ones. This imbalance leads to gastrointestinal symptoms like excessive wind, bloating, cramps, loose stools, diarrhoea, and constipation to name a few, all too familiar to those who suffer with IBS. 

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) means there is an overgrowth of bacteria in a place where they should not be growing. The large intestine should have trillions of bacteria living in it, not the small intestine, and when they overgrow in the wrong place it can lead to multiple problems. SIBO has been shown to exist in up to 84% of IBS cases therefore it should be ruled out before settling for an IBS diagnosis. Symptoms include wind, bloating, cramps, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, eczema, anxiety and depression to name a few. As you can see, what happens in the small intestine does not stay there and SIBO can have an impact in many other systems of the body. 

Low Thyroid Function

The thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland situated in the front of our neck, responsible for regulating many body functions by releasing a steady amount of thyroid hormones into the bloodstream. When it becomes under-active, it decreases gastrointestinal motility and slows down transit time resulting in constipation. If you have been diagnosed with IBS type-C, or constipation, it is worth running a full thyroid panel to assess if that is the reason behind your symptoms. In addition, decreased GI motility can also result in SIBO and studies have found that over 50% of individuals with hypothyroidism actually test positive for SIBO.

Chronic Stress

One of the main things that impact stomach acid production is chronic stress; living chronically stressed activates our sympathetic nervous system, our ‘fight or flight’ mode. When the ‘fight or flight’ mode is turned on, the body receives a message that every biochemical reaction can wait as it understands you are experiencing high levels of danger (think about it, you wouldn’t eat a meal while running away from a dangerous situation). That triggers a cascade of problems that goes far beyond low stomach acid production - it alters stomach and bowel motility (leading to more gas, bloating and discomfort), decreases the diversity of good gut bacteria, promotes the growth of pathogenic ones (possibly resulting in dysbiosis) and impairs the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

More often than note, individuals will have a problem in more than one of the points mentioned above and that is why IBS is such a challenging condition to address. A multifactorial approach must be used to address the root causes of those imbalances and dysfunctions in order to achieve optimal and consistent results.

Marilia Chamon Dip.NT mFNTP AFMCP is a Registered Nutritional Therapist and Functional Medicine Practitioner specialising in gut health, IBS and SIBO among other health conditions. For more information about her services please visit www.gutfulnessnutrition.com or find her on Instagram @gutfulnessnutrition