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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also referred to as spastic
colon, intestinal neurosis, and mucous colitis, is characterized
by abnormal muscle contractions of the small and large intestines.
It is estimated that one in every five Americans and three
times as many women than men suffer from IBS.
In this condition, the gastrointestinal tract is sensitive
to many stimuli including stress, diet, and drugs. This sensitivity
results in irregular muscle contractions that interfere with
the normal transit of food and waste matter. The food and
fecal matter pass through the intestines quickly, generally
leading to diarrhea. The strong contractions result in cramps
(often severe) in the lower abdominal region.
For a true diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, your doctor
will first want to rule out dysentery and certain inflammatory
bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease. Medical treatment
for an irritable bowel usually includes antidiarrheal drugs
to reduce the frequency of bowel movements, and bulk-producing
agents to give better form to the stool.
The medical profession calls irritable bowel syndrome a "functional
disease"—a condition that produces the symptoms
of a physical disease, but that reveals no signs of a physical
problem upon examination. This doesn’t mean that those
who suffer from this condition don’t have real symptoms
or suffer real pain. They do.
When attempting to treat IBS, know that mental as well as
physical causes are possible. Anxiety, depression, and emotional
stress can trigger the symptoms characteristic of irritable
bowel syndrome. But any condition—mental or physical—that
affects the gastrointestinal tract can be helped by friendly
bacterial supplementation.
The friendly bacteria lactobacilli release essential amino
acids during fermentation. Fermented dairy products are rich
in several essential amino acids, including tryptophan, which
your body uses to produce seratonin—a neurotransmitter
with a calming effect. If you’ve ever had a cup of warm
milk at night to help you relax and sleep, know that it is
the tryptophan in milk that makes this natural insomnia remedy
work. When a cultured milk product, such as real yogurt, is
eaten, the action of the friendly bacteria results in even
more tryptophan, which, in turn, means more relaxing seratonin.
Because the bacteria are so densely concentrated in quality
Probiotics, taking bacterial supplements may be very effective
in helping reduce the stress that can trigger bouts with IBS.
Lactose intolerance (the inability to digest lactose—milk
sugar) is another common physical trigger for irritable bowel
syndrome. Those who are lactose intolerant are missing the
enzyme lactase, which is necessary for the digestion of lactose.
Among a number of other beneficial products, the friendly
lactobacilli produce lactase to help digest milk and milk
products. If your irritable bowel is caused by lactose intolerance,
there’s an excellent chance that you can overcome the
problem through the use of Probiotics.
RECOMMENDED PROBIOTIC REGIMEN
Start with 1 capsule each of L. acidophilus and B.
bifidum (or 1/2 teaspoon each powder), along with 1/2 teaspoon L. bulgaricus powder mixed in 6 to 8 ounces unchilled filtered water, three times daily before meals.
Can increase the amount to 3 capsules each of L. acidophilus
and B. bifidum (or 1/2 teaspoons each powder), along with 1 tablespoon L. bulgaricus powder mixed
in 6 to 8 ounces unchilled filtered water, three times daily
before meals.
Instead of the above regimen, can start with 1 combination
capsule that contains all three super strains in an oil-matrix
carrier, two times daily. Can increase to 1 capsule, four
times daily.
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