What Causes IBS?
WHAT CAUSES IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) condition. 9-23% of the world’s population is thought to be affected by IBS. Canada has one of the highest rates of IBS in the world, with 120,000 new cases each year!
WHAT IS IBS?
IBS is a GI condition consisting of abdominal discomfort or pain with changes in stool frequency or form and/or improvement in pain/discomfort with a bowel movement. It is an ‘umbrella term’ for digestive changes with no clear pathophysiology or definitive cause. IBS has a large impact on quality of life however, most individuals receive no formal treatment.
There are 3 subtypes of IBS: IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) and IBS with mixed stools (IBS-M).
IBS-C (Constipation): hard or lumpy stools >/= 25% or loose/watery stools <25% of bowel movements
IBS-D (Diarrhea): loose or watery stools >/= 25% or hard/lumpy stools <25% of bowel movements
IBS-M (Mixed): hard/lump stools >/= 25% or loose/watery stools >/= 25% of bowel movements
WHAT REALLY CAUSES IBS?
Though IBS has no true cause there are many factors that that can play into the pathogenesis of IBS. Such as altered motility of the GI tract, intestinal inflammation, food sensitivities, post-infection reactivity, brain-gut interactions, altered micro floral, visceral hypersensitivity, carbohydrate malabsorption and bacterial overgrowth.
Bacterial overgrowth in particular has been gaining traction in the research over the past few years, specifically small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: SIBO.
WHAT IS SIBO?
SIBO is a condition where an abnormally large number of bacteria (the types naturally present in the large intestine) are found in the small intestine. These bacteria grow and feed off of carbohydrates from food, creating fermentation and gases (methane and hydrogen). This causes symptoms.
DO YOU HAVE SIBO?
Symptoms of SIBO include many of the same ones as IBS, such as bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, malnutrition, and malabsorption.
A SIBO test can measure the level of fermentation gases (methane and hydrogen). This is done via a non-invasive breath collection (every 15-minutes for 2-3 hours, depending on the test).
HOW DO YOU TREAT SIBO?
There are many options available for the treatment of SIBO. Treatment varies based on the symptoms you are experiencing as well as the test results. Options include dietary and lifestyle changes, antimicrobials, probiotics, and pro-kinetics. If you have IBS or think you have have SIBO see a Naturopathic Doctor to discuss testing and treatment options to get to the root cause of your irritable bowel symptoms!
Interested in learning more about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gut health? Book your free 15-minute meet and greet appointment and let’s chat!