Food Intolerances: What are the Symptoms of Food Intolerance and What Tests are Available?
Do you regularly feel discomfort or bloating after eating certain foods? Is your life disrupted with constant cycles of constipation and diarrhoea, with your insides feeling raw? Does your skin regularly feel irritated or your joints sore? Do you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines? All these health issues can be symptoms of a food intolerance, or at least a contributing factor.
While less than 2% of the population suffer from food allergies, it is estimated that more than 20% of the population suffer from food intolerance. Food intolerances can affect anyone at any age, (we commonly work with children who have an intolerance to food) but since symptoms often occur some time after the food has been eaten it can be difficult to find the problem food. Years of research has found the basis of what causes allergy and food intolerance. Poor digestion causes your immune system to begin to attack partially digested components within the food that “leak” through the intestine and can migrate around the body. Sometimes that partially digested components lodge in the intestinal wall, sometimes in a membrane around a joint or even the brain. Antibodies quickly find these components and indicate to the rest of the bodies and this triggers the immune system and causes inflammation. Inflammation causes irritation: soreness, pain and swelling
There are many techniques that have been developed through the years to determine food intolerances. Some techniques were developed before scientists discovered the immune response, for example muscle reflex testing, and acupuncture. These techniques increasingly use electronic signal processors to improve their accuracy. However, these techniques can be still be compared to using a piece of seaweed for weather prediction. It takes someone with extremely good powers of judgement to understand a muscle reflex or voltage change due to a food sample being contacted with the skin. We often meet with patients who have been tested and told they are intolerance to a wide range of staple foods, fruit and vegetables. Their symptoms can improve sometimes but they often end up with a very unbalanced diet.
A more modern and clinically proven technique looks at the root cause of the food intolerance symptoms, the immune system. Indeed, a clinical trial of immune system tests found that most people with IBS that avoided the foods suggested by an immune test had their symptoms significantly improved. These tests do need a blood sample. With the right training, blood sampling is virtually painless and takes a few seconds. A sterile finger pricker lances the skin and a blood drop appears. The drop is collected and that is that, you don’t really need a dressing and its hard to see where the blood came from a minute later. That small blood sample is taken and the levels of the antibody determined by a laboratory. Some tests need to be sent away (york test). Our specialist practice in Inverness has a small lab where the tests can be done whilst you wait (
food intolerance testing inverness), taking less than one hour. The food intolerance test results are very unambiguous and can be used to guide an elimination diet with some certainty.
The immune (blood) testing is a lot more accurate than the old fashioned ways of testing. Sometimes people go through the mill, completely unnecessarily.
A patient (Mr. M.) came to us with a huge list of things he was told to not eat by an electronic muscle reflex test. He was an active young male who was told to avoid all grains, milk, nuts and yeast. He was suffering from rhinitis (blocked nose that would not go away) and had followed his food avoidance diet based on the electronic results and his symptoms had still not got any better. A big issue for him was that he used to like going out with his friends to go for pizza and have a few beers. He had lost a lot of weight and felt hungry all the time because of his active job.
I blood tested him and found that he gave a very weak positive result to oats and yeast (so weak it took imagination to see the positive blue spot on the test plate). So he had put up with not being able to go get a pizza, not being able to pop out for a sandwich at lunchtime and spent a lot his time being starving (active outdoor job in Scotland – you need food!!) for no particular reason at all.
So he is now back onto a balanced diet again and can enjoy a beer this Christmas.
If you have been electronically tested and given a big list of foods that you are intolerant to, it might be a good idea to get a second test done somewhere else perhaps by the immune method and compare the results.
By: Dr Richard Day
About the Author:
While less than 2% of the population suffer from food allergies, it is estimated that more than 20% of the population suffer from food intolerance. Food intolerances can affect anyone at any age, (we commonly work with children who have an intolerance to food) but since symptoms often occur some time after the food has been eaten it can be difficult to find the problem food. Years of research has found the basis of what causes allergy and food intolerance. Poor digestion causes your immune system to begin to attack partially digested components within the food that “leak” through the intestine and can migrate around the body. Sometimes that partially digested components lodge in the intestinal wall, sometimes in a membrane around a joint or even the brain. Antibodies quickly find these components and indicate to the rest of the bodies and this triggers the immune system and causes inflammation. Inflammation causes irritation: soreness, pain and swelling
There are many techniques that have been developed through the years to determine food intolerances. Some techniques were developed before scientists discovered the immune response, for example muscle reflex testing, and acupuncture. These techniques increasingly use electronic signal processors to improve their accuracy. However, these techniques can be still be compared to using a piece of seaweed for weather prediction. It takes someone with extremely good powers of judgement to understand a muscle reflex or voltage change due to a food sample being contacted with the skin. We often meet with patients who have been tested and told they are intolerance to a wide range of staple foods, fruit and vegetables. Their symptoms can improve sometimes but they often end up with a very unbalanced diet.
A more modern and clinically proven technique looks at the root cause of the food intolerance symptoms, the immune system. Indeed, a clinical trial of immune system tests found that most people with IBS that avoided the foods suggested by an immune test had their symptoms significantly improved. These tests do need a blood sample. With the right training, blood sampling is virtually painless and takes a few seconds. A sterile finger pricker lances the skin and a blood drop appears. The drop is collected and that is that, you don’t really need a dressing and its hard to see where the blood came from a minute later. That small blood sample is taken and the levels of the antibody determined by a laboratory. Some tests need to be sent away (york test). Our specialist practice in Inverness has a small lab where the tests can be done whilst you wait (
food intolerance testing inverness), taking less than one hour. The food intolerance test results are very unambiguous and can be used to guide an elimination diet with some certainty.
The immune (blood) testing is a lot more accurate than the old fashioned ways of testing. Sometimes people go through the mill, completely unnecessarily.
A patient (Mr. M.) came to us with a huge list of things he was told to not eat by an electronic muscle reflex test. He was an active young male who was told to avoid all grains, milk, nuts and yeast. He was suffering from rhinitis (blocked nose that would not go away) and had followed his food avoidance diet based on the electronic results and his symptoms had still not got any better. A big issue for him was that he used to like going out with his friends to go for pizza and have a few beers. He had lost a lot of weight and felt hungry all the time because of his active job.
I blood tested him and found that he gave a very weak positive result to oats and yeast (so weak it took imagination to see the positive blue spot on the test plate). So he had put up with not being able to go get a pizza, not being able to pop out for a sandwich at lunchtime and spent a lot his time being starving (active outdoor job in Scotland – you need food!!) for no particular reason at all.
So he is now back onto a balanced diet again and can enjoy a beer this Christmas.
If you have been electronically tested and given a big list of foods that you are intolerant to, it might be a good idea to get a second test done somewhere else perhaps by the immune method and compare the results.
By: Dr Richard Day
About the Author:
Dr. Richard Day Bsc.
www.food-intolerance-test.co.uk
5 Ways To Fight IBS Diarrhea
Constipation can be a difficult IBS symptom to deal with, but so can diarrhea. People who suffer from diarrhea-predominant IBS experience frequent bowel movements of watery and/or loose stool. Other diarrhea-related symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort, cramping, bloating, gas, nausea and dehydration.
The following are 5 treatment options for relieving IBS related diarrhea:
1 – Diet Control
Before resorting to medications or alternative remedies, you should always consider your diet first. Although diet changes may not entirely cure you from diarrhea, it may help reduce the frequency of attacks. Therefore, you should monitor your diet by keeping a food diary and recording the symptoms you feel after eating different foods to determine which ones cause diarrhea and which ones don’t.
For instance, avoiding/limiting foods high in refined, artificial or natural sugar can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms. This doesn’t only include chocolate, caffeine, alcohol and sweets. It also means foods containing fructose such as honey and a variety of fruits. Foods high in sugar can act like a laxative to your body, especially for an IBS sufferer who already has a sensitive stomach.
You should also ask your doctor to test you for lactose intolerance, as an inability to properly digest milk sugar can cause diarrhea.
2 – OTC Antidiarrheal Drugs
Over-the-counter (OTC) antidiarrheal medications can be effective at providing diarrhea relief when used as short-term treatment. There are two types of antidiarrheal drugs.
- Stool thickeners -these contain fruit pectin and clay which absorb toxins and bacteria in the intestine to help thicken stool (I.E. Kaopectate)
- Antispasmodic – these slow spasms that occur in the intestine (I.E. Imodium).
Although, antidiarrheals are usually effective, they may not help other symptoms such as bloating or abdominal discomfort. Furthermore, prolonged use of antidiarrheals can result in dry mouth, constipation, and other symptoms.
Consult your doctor about OTC antidiarrheal meds for IBS treatment before taking anything. In addition, you shouldn’t resort to antidiarrheals until at least 24 hours after experiencing diarrhea, as you don’t want to stop your body from expelling toxins in the event your diarrhea is a result of bacteria such as food poisoning.
3 – Prescription Medications
Low doses of tricyclic antidepressants are commonly prescribed to IBS patients for abdominal pain. These meds effectively block pain signals to the brain and don’t cause diarrhea. However, they can cause other symptoms including constipation.
Another medication that may be prescribed is Lotronex. This particular drug is designed to block the effect serotonin (chemical produced by the body) has on digestive system, and in so doing, soothes the colon and slows bowl movement frequency. Lotronex has been found to be successful at alleviating IBS symptoms including diarrhea, stomach discomfort and urgency.
Note: Lotronex has only been approved for women who suffer from severe cases of diarrhea-predominant IBS ad have not responded to previous treatment methods.
4 – Alternative Therapy
Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, probiotics and herbal remedies can effectively reduce and alleviate diarrhea and its related symptoms in some IBS sufferers. Each of these methods is designed to assist the body in healing itself by providing it with stimulation (acupuncture), healthy gut bacteria (probiotics), or herbs. All work to aid in normal digestion.
If you are interested in learning about alternative treatments, talk to you health care provider first, and be sure to seek treatment from qualified practitioners.
5 – Behavioural therapy
Stress can actually trigger your IBS symptoms and make diarrhea worse, by causing your stomach to tense, leading to cramping and overall stomach upset. You can help reduce the regular stress in your life, and the stress you feel towards your IBS condition by engaging in:
- Meditation exercises (I.E. Yoga)
- Relaxation therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
It’s also a good idea to distract yourself by taking part in regular activities you enjoy.
By: Susan Reynolds
About the Author:
The following are 5 treatment options for relieving IBS related diarrhea:
1 – Diet Control
Before resorting to medications or alternative remedies, you should always consider your diet first. Although diet changes may not entirely cure you from diarrhea, it may help reduce the frequency of attacks. Therefore, you should monitor your diet by keeping a food diary and recording the symptoms you feel after eating different foods to determine which ones cause diarrhea and which ones don’t.
For instance, avoiding/limiting foods high in refined, artificial or natural sugar can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms. This doesn’t only include chocolate, caffeine, alcohol and sweets. It also means foods containing fructose such as honey and a variety of fruits. Foods high in sugar can act like a laxative to your body, especially for an IBS sufferer who already has a sensitive stomach.
You should also ask your doctor to test you for lactose intolerance, as an inability to properly digest milk sugar can cause diarrhea.
2 – OTC Antidiarrheal Drugs
Over-the-counter (OTC) antidiarrheal medications can be effective at providing diarrhea relief when used as short-term treatment. There are two types of antidiarrheal drugs.
- Stool thickeners -these contain fruit pectin and clay which absorb toxins and bacteria in the intestine to help thicken stool (I.E. Kaopectate)
- Antispasmodic – these slow spasms that occur in the intestine (I.E. Imodium).
Although, antidiarrheals are usually effective, they may not help other symptoms such as bloating or abdominal discomfort. Furthermore, prolonged use of antidiarrheals can result in dry mouth, constipation, and other symptoms.
Consult your doctor about OTC antidiarrheal meds for IBS treatment before taking anything. In addition, you shouldn’t resort to antidiarrheals until at least 24 hours after experiencing diarrhea, as you don’t want to stop your body from expelling toxins in the event your diarrhea is a result of bacteria such as food poisoning.
3 – Prescription Medications
Low doses of tricyclic antidepressants are commonly prescribed to IBS patients for abdominal pain. These meds effectively block pain signals to the brain and don’t cause diarrhea. However, they can cause other symptoms including constipation.
Another medication that may be prescribed is Lotronex. This particular drug is designed to block the effect serotonin (chemical produced by the body) has on digestive system, and in so doing, soothes the colon and slows bowl movement frequency. Lotronex has been found to be successful at alleviating IBS symptoms including diarrhea, stomach discomfort and urgency.
Note: Lotronex has only been approved for women who suffer from severe cases of diarrhea-predominant IBS ad have not responded to previous treatment methods.
4 – Alternative Therapy
Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, probiotics and herbal remedies can effectively reduce and alleviate diarrhea and its related symptoms in some IBS sufferers. Each of these methods is designed to assist the body in healing itself by providing it with stimulation (acupuncture), healthy gut bacteria (probiotics), or herbs. All work to aid in normal digestion.
If you are interested in learning about alternative treatments, talk to you health care provider first, and be sure to seek treatment from qualified practitioners.
5 – Behavioural therapy
Stress can actually trigger your IBS symptoms and make diarrhea worse, by causing your stomach to tense, leading to cramping and overall stomach upset. You can help reduce the regular stress in your life, and the stress you feel towards your IBS condition by engaging in:
- Meditation exercises (I.E. Yoga)
- Relaxation therapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
It’s also a good idea to distract yourself by taking part in regular activities you enjoy.
By: Susan Reynolds
About the Author:
Susan Reynolds. Sign up for a free newsletter with proven methods for managing IBS. Discover more suggestions for tackling IBS Diarrhea.
Ibs – Do you Know the Facts?
Although irritable bowel syndrome or IBS for short is one of the most common ailments known to man, few know what it means when they encounter the term. Some have not even encountered the words in their lifetime.
What IBS is All About
Irritable bowel syndrome is the problem that people encounter when they have problems in their bowel movement. About 15 percent of people in the United States are affected by this condition, characterized by the abnormal movement of bowels. IBS is also known by other names such as spastic colon, spastic colitis, and mucous colitis, which are all scientific and too technical terms for the layman to ever understand. In fact, the term irritable bowel syndrome is actually the most common of the terms being used for problems like this.
Symptoms of Ibs
Irritable bowel syndrome involves recurrent constipation, diarrhea and cramping in the abdomen. Some people who have ibs may also experience episodes of vomiting and nausea. Others will also experience dyspepsia and feelings of fullness because of problems in the digestion of food or in the transportation of food particles through the various parts of the digestive system.
Often, irritable bowel syndrome is correlated with stress. It seems that stressors can directly affect the functions of the abdomen, thereby causing IBS. Anxiety and panic attacks can also be a cause of Ibs.
Diagnosis as Last Resort
Diagnosing the presence of Ibs is only done when the possibility of problems in the various digestive and gastro-intestinal tracts have been ruled out. Examples of these problems are inflammatory bowel syndrome, presence of worms and other parasites in the intestine and sometimes even polyps.
When physicians are sure that nothing else is wrong in the digestive tract, ibs is then thought of. The reason why ibs is the last resort when diagnosing the problem is that it is mainly a functional problem and not something caused by developed disorders or parasites and bacteria. Most of the time, the problem lies in some parts of the gastro-intestinal tract, whether the muscles, the nerves that control the organs or even the organs themselves. When the problem is the nerves, further investigation is needed as the problem may lie inside the brain or in the spinal cord.
Another reason why ibs is diagnosed late is the fact that the problem cannot be seen through any specific microscopic test. Often, ibs is diagnosed only when there is not abnormality or problem that can be seen in tests.
Causes of IBS
As mentioned earlier, Ibs is believed to be the cause of an abnormality in the function of the digestive tract. Most experts point to the connection with the nerves that are found in the brain and in the spinal cord. It seems that problems arise in the transmission of messages from the brain to the muscles through these nerve fibers. Examples of the messages that are transmitted are actions that prompt the intestine to contract or relax. Another possibility is the role that sensory nerve fibers.
Curing IBS
Because the problem is largely functional and structural, there is actually no cure for the problem. The best that the physician can do for those suffering from IBS is to alleviate the symptoms of the problem. Doctors may prescribe the intake of food that are high in fiber or drinking antispasmodic drugs that can relieve constipation.
By: Bob Janeway
About the Author:
What IBS is All About
Irritable bowel syndrome is the problem that people encounter when they have problems in their bowel movement. About 15 percent of people in the United States are affected by this condition, characterized by the abnormal movement of bowels. IBS is also known by other names such as spastic colon, spastic colitis, and mucous colitis, which are all scientific and too technical terms for the layman to ever understand. In fact, the term irritable bowel syndrome is actually the most common of the terms being used for problems like this.
Symptoms of Ibs
Irritable bowel syndrome involves recurrent constipation, diarrhea and cramping in the abdomen. Some people who have ibs may also experience episodes of vomiting and nausea. Others will also experience dyspepsia and feelings of fullness because of problems in the digestion of food or in the transportation of food particles through the various parts of the digestive system.
Often, irritable bowel syndrome is correlated with stress. It seems that stressors can directly affect the functions of the abdomen, thereby causing IBS. Anxiety and panic attacks can also be a cause of Ibs.
Diagnosis as Last Resort
Diagnosing the presence of Ibs is only done when the possibility of problems in the various digestive and gastro-intestinal tracts have been ruled out. Examples of these problems are inflammatory bowel syndrome, presence of worms and other parasites in the intestine and sometimes even polyps.
When physicians are sure that nothing else is wrong in the digestive tract, ibs is then thought of. The reason why ibs is the last resort when diagnosing the problem is that it is mainly a functional problem and not something caused by developed disorders or parasites and bacteria. Most of the time, the problem lies in some parts of the gastro-intestinal tract, whether the muscles, the nerves that control the organs or even the organs themselves. When the problem is the nerves, further investigation is needed as the problem may lie inside the brain or in the spinal cord.
Another reason why ibs is diagnosed late is the fact that the problem cannot be seen through any specific microscopic test. Often, ibs is diagnosed only when there is not abnormality or problem that can be seen in tests.
Causes of IBS
As mentioned earlier, Ibs is believed to be the cause of an abnormality in the function of the digestive tract. Most experts point to the connection with the nerves that are found in the brain and in the spinal cord. It seems that problems arise in the transmission of messages from the brain to the muscles through these nerve fibers. Examples of the messages that are transmitted are actions that prompt the intestine to contract or relax. Another possibility is the role that sensory nerve fibers.
Curing IBS
Because the problem is largely functional and structural, there is actually no cure for the problem. The best that the physician can do for those suffering from IBS is to alleviate the symptoms of the problem. Doctors may prescribe the intake of food that are high in fiber or drinking antispasmodic drugs that can relieve constipation.
By: Bob Janeway
About the Author:
Bob is the owner of http://ibs.knowsmart.com/ which is an up-to-date, informative IBS website.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Sucks! Check This Out for Guaranteed Ibs Relief!
As discussed previously, irritable bowel syndrome is believed to be due to the abnormal function (dysfunction) of the muscles of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the nerves controlling the organs. The nervous control of the gastrointestinal tract, however, is complex. A system of nerves runs the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the anus in the muscular walls of the organs. These nerves communicate with other nerves that travel to and from the spinal cord. Nerves within the spinal cord, in turn, travel to and from the brain. (The gastrointestinal tract is exceeded in the numbers of nerves it contains only by the spinal cord and brain.) Thus, the abnormal function of the nervous system in IBS may occur in a gastrointestinal muscular organ, the spinal cord, or the brain.
The nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs, as with most other organs, contains both sensory and motor nerves. The sensory nerves continuously sense what is happening within the organ and relay this information to nerves in the organ’s wall. From there, information can be relayed to the spinal cord and brain. The information is received and processed in the organ’s wall, the spinal cord, or the brain. Then, based on this sensory input and the way the input is processed, commands (responses) are sent to the organ over the motor nerves. Two of the most common motor responses in the intestine are contraction or relaxation of the muscle of the organ and secretion of fluid and/or mucus into the organ.
As already mentioned, abnormal function of the nerves of the gastrointestinal organs, at least theoretically, might occur in the organ, spinal cord, or brain. Moreover, the abnormalities might occur in the sensory nerves, the motor nerves, or at processing centers in the intestine, spinal cord, or brain. Some researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the sensory nerves. For example, normal activities, such as stretching of the small intestine by food, may give rise to abnormal sensory signals that are sent to the spinal cord and brain, where they are perceived as pain.
Other researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the motor nerves. For example, abnormal commands through the motor nerves might produce a painful spasm (contraction) of the muscles. Still others argue that abnormally functioning processing centers are responsible for functional diseases because they misinterpret normal sensations or send abnormal commands to the organ. In fact, some functional diseases may be due to sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction. Still others may be due to abnormalities within the processing centers One area that is receiving a great deal of scientific attention is the potential role of gas produced by intestinal bacteria in patients with IBS. Studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS produce larger amounts of gas than individuals without IBS, and the gas may be retained longer in the small intestine. Among patients with IBS, abdominal size increases over the day, reaching a maximum in the evening and returning to baseline by the following morning. In individuals without IBS, there is no increase in abdominal size during the day.
There has been a great deal of controversy over the role that poor digestion and/or absorption of dietary sugars may play in aggravating the symptoms of IBS. Poor digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk, is very common as is poor absorption of fructose, a sweetener found in many processed foods. Poor digestion or absorption of these sugars could aggravate the symptoms of IBS since unabsorbed sugars often cause increased formation of gas.
Although these abnormalities in production and transport of gas could give rise to some of the symptoms of IBS, much more work will need to be done before the role of intestinal gas in IBS is clear.
Dietary fat in healthy individuals causes food as well as gas to move more slowly through the stomach and small intestine. Some patients with IBS may even respond to dietary fat in an exaggerated fashion with greater slowing. Thus, dietary fat could–and probably does–aggravate the symptoms of IBS.
For more information visit: http://www.bowtrol.com/?aid=619131
By: Brandon Bettes
About the Author:
The nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs, as with most other organs, contains both sensory and motor nerves. The sensory nerves continuously sense what is happening within the organ and relay this information to nerves in the organ’s wall. From there, information can be relayed to the spinal cord and brain. The information is received and processed in the organ’s wall, the spinal cord, or the brain. Then, based on this sensory input and the way the input is processed, commands (responses) are sent to the organ over the motor nerves. Two of the most common motor responses in the intestine are contraction or relaxation of the muscle of the organ and secretion of fluid and/or mucus into the organ.
As already mentioned, abnormal function of the nerves of the gastrointestinal organs, at least theoretically, might occur in the organ, spinal cord, or brain. Moreover, the abnormalities might occur in the sensory nerves, the motor nerves, or at processing centers in the intestine, spinal cord, or brain. Some researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the sensory nerves. For example, normal activities, such as stretching of the small intestine by food, may give rise to abnormal sensory signals that are sent to the spinal cord and brain, where they are perceived as pain.
Other researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the motor nerves. For example, abnormal commands through the motor nerves might produce a painful spasm (contraction) of the muscles. Still others argue that abnormally functioning processing centers are responsible for functional diseases because they misinterpret normal sensations or send abnormal commands to the organ. In fact, some functional diseases may be due to sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction. Still others may be due to abnormalities within the processing centers One area that is receiving a great deal of scientific attention is the potential role of gas produced by intestinal bacteria in patients with IBS. Studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS produce larger amounts of gas than individuals without IBS, and the gas may be retained longer in the small intestine. Among patients with IBS, abdominal size increases over the day, reaching a maximum in the evening and returning to baseline by the following morning. In individuals without IBS, there is no increase in abdominal size during the day.
There has been a great deal of controversy over the role that poor digestion and/or absorption of dietary sugars may play in aggravating the symptoms of IBS. Poor digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk, is very common as is poor absorption of fructose, a sweetener found in many processed foods. Poor digestion or absorption of these sugars could aggravate the symptoms of IBS since unabsorbed sugars often cause increased formation of gas.
Although these abnormalities in production and transport of gas could give rise to some of the symptoms of IBS, much more work will need to be done before the role of intestinal gas in IBS is clear.
Dietary fat in healthy individuals causes food as well as gas to move more slowly through the stomach and small intestine. Some patients with IBS may even respond to dietary fat in an exaggerated fashion with greater slowing. Thus, dietary fat could–and probably does–aggravate the symptoms of IBS.
For more information visit: http://www.bowtrol.com/?aid=619131
By: Brandon Bettes
About the Author:
I write informative articles that help people all over the world with daily occurrences from life’s low to life’s highs. If I can help, I feel like I am providing for my community and people in general.
What are the Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable bowel syndrome is caused by abnormal function (dysfunction) of the muscles and organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the nerves controlling these organs. The nervous control of the gastrointestinal tract, however, is complex. A system of nerves runs the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the anus in the muscular walls of the organs.
These nerves communicate with other nerves that travel to and from the spinal cord. Nerves within the spinal cord, in turn, travel to and from the brain. (The gastrointestinal tract is exceeded in the numbers of nerves it contains only by the spinal cord and brain.) Thus, the abnormal function of the nervous system in IBS may occur in a gastrointestinal muscular organ, the spinal cord, or the brain.
The nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs, as with most other organs, contains both sensory and motor nerves. The sensory nerves continuously sense what is happening within the organ and relay this information to nerves in the organ’s wall.
From there, information can be relayed to the spinal cord and brain. The information is received and processed in the organ’s wall, the spinal cord, or the brain. Then, based on this sensory input and the way the input is processed, commands (responses) are sent to the organ over the motor nerves.
Two of the most common motor responses in the intestine are contraction or relaxation of the muscle of the organ and secretion of fluid and/or mucus into the organ.
As already mentioned, abnormal function of the nerves of the gastrointestinal organs, at least theoretically, might occur in the organ, spinal cord, or brain. Moreover, the abnormalities might occur in the sensory nerves, the motor nerves, or at processing centers in the intestine, spinal cord, or brain.
Some researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the sensory nerves. For example, normal activities, such as stretching of the small intestine by food, may give rise to abnormal sensory signals that are sent to the spinal cord and brain, where they are perceived as pain.
Other researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the motor nerves. For example, abnormal commands through the motor nerves might produce a painful spasm (contraction) of the muscles. Still others argue that abnormally functioning processing centers are responsible for functional diseases because they misinterpret normal sensations or send abnormal commands to the organ. In fact, some functional diseases may be due to sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction. Still others may be due to abnormalities within the processing centers.
One area that is receiving a great deal of scientific attention is the potential role of gas produced by intestinal bacteria in patients with IBS. Studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS produce larger amounts of gas than individuals without IBS, and the gas may be retained longer in the small intestine. Among patients with IBS, abdominal size increases over the day, reaching a maximum in the evening and returning to baseline by the following morning. In individuals without IBS, there is no increase in abdominal size during the day.
There has been a great deal of controversy over the role that poor digestion and/or absorption of dietary sugars may play in aggravating the symptoms of IBS. Poor digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk, is very common as is poor absorption of fructose, a sweetener found in many processed foods.
Poor digestion or absorption of these sugars could aggravate the symptoms of IBS since unabsorbed sugars often cause increased formation of gas.
Although these abnormalities in production and transport of gas could give rise to some of the symptoms of IBS, much more work will need to be done before the role of intestinal gas in IBS is clear.
Dietary fat in healthy individuals causes food as well as gas to move more slowly through the stomach and small intestine. Some patients with IBS may even respond to dietary fat in an exaggerated fashion with greater slowing. Thus, dietary fat could–and probably does–aggravate the symptoms of IBS.
By: Mike Lee
About the Author:
These nerves communicate with other nerves that travel to and from the spinal cord. Nerves within the spinal cord, in turn, travel to and from the brain. (The gastrointestinal tract is exceeded in the numbers of nerves it contains only by the spinal cord and brain.) Thus, the abnormal function of the nervous system in IBS may occur in a gastrointestinal muscular organ, the spinal cord, or the brain.
The nervous system that controls the gastrointestinal organs, as with most other organs, contains both sensory and motor nerves. The sensory nerves continuously sense what is happening within the organ and relay this information to nerves in the organ’s wall.
From there, information can be relayed to the spinal cord and brain. The information is received and processed in the organ’s wall, the spinal cord, or the brain. Then, based on this sensory input and the way the input is processed, commands (responses) are sent to the organ over the motor nerves.
Two of the most common motor responses in the intestine are contraction or relaxation of the muscle of the organ and secretion of fluid and/or mucus into the organ.
As already mentioned, abnormal function of the nerves of the gastrointestinal organs, at least theoretically, might occur in the organ, spinal cord, or brain. Moreover, the abnormalities might occur in the sensory nerves, the motor nerves, or at processing centers in the intestine, spinal cord, or brain.
Some researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the sensory nerves. For example, normal activities, such as stretching of the small intestine by food, may give rise to abnormal sensory signals that are sent to the spinal cord and brain, where they are perceived as pain.
Other researchers argue that the cause of functional diseases is abnormalities in the function of the motor nerves. For example, abnormal commands through the motor nerves might produce a painful spasm (contraction) of the muscles. Still others argue that abnormally functioning processing centers are responsible for functional diseases because they misinterpret normal sensations or send abnormal commands to the organ. In fact, some functional diseases may be due to sensory dysfunction, motor dysfunction, or both sensory and motor dysfunction. Still others may be due to abnormalities within the processing centers.
One area that is receiving a great deal of scientific attention is the potential role of gas produced by intestinal bacteria in patients with IBS. Studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS produce larger amounts of gas than individuals without IBS, and the gas may be retained longer in the small intestine. Among patients with IBS, abdominal size increases over the day, reaching a maximum in the evening and returning to baseline by the following morning. In individuals without IBS, there is no increase in abdominal size during the day.
There has been a great deal of controversy over the role that poor digestion and/or absorption of dietary sugars may play in aggravating the symptoms of IBS. Poor digestion of lactose, the sugar in milk, is very common as is poor absorption of fructose, a sweetener found in many processed foods.
Poor digestion or absorption of these sugars could aggravate the symptoms of IBS since unabsorbed sugars often cause increased formation of gas.
Although these abnormalities in production and transport of gas could give rise to some of the symptoms of IBS, much more work will need to be done before the role of intestinal gas in IBS is clear.
Dietary fat in healthy individuals causes food as well as gas to move more slowly through the stomach and small intestine. Some patients with IBS may even respond to dietary fat in an exaggerated fashion with greater slowing. Thus, dietary fat could–and probably does–aggravate the symptoms of IBS.
By: Mike Lee
About the Author:
Bowtrol is the only natural remedy that is clinically proven effective for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Provides total relief from constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and heartburn.
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