Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common diagnosis in gastroenterology. Trials suggest certain probiotics to be beneficial.
Aim: To investigate the effects of multispecies probiotic supplementation (L. rhamnosus GG, L. rhamnosus Lc705, P. freudenreichii subsp. shermanii JS and B. animalis subsp. lactis Bb12) on abdominal symptoms, quality of life, intestinal microbiota, and inflammatory markers in IBS.
Methods: Eighty-six IBS patients (Rome II criteria) participated in this randomised, placebo-controlled 5-month intervention. Patients were randomised to receive daily either multispecies probiotic supplementation or placebo. IBS symptoms, quality of life, microarray-based intestinal microbiota stability (n=20), serum cytokines and sensitive-CRP were monitored.
Results: The composite IBS score had at five months decreased 14 points (95% CI: -19 to -9) from baseline with the multispecies probiotic versus 3 points (95% CI: -8 to 1) with placebo (p=0.0083). Especially distension and abdominal pain were affected. A stabilisation of the microbiota was observed, as the microbiota similarity index increased with the probiotic supplementation (1.87 +/- 3.13), while it decreased with placebo (-2.93 +/- 1.68). No differences were seen in CRP.
Conclusions: This multispecies probiotic seems to be an effective and safe option to alleviate symptoms of IBS, and to stabilise the intestinal microbiota.
Its true that a good probiotic will help relieve symptoms of IBS, however, IBS can nearly always be prevented with proper diet. That means no red meat, dairy products, refined sugar, caffeine, alcohol, deep fried, processed, or fast food, refined carbs, carbonated beverages,artificial sweeteners, or white flour.
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Let Food Be Your Medicine And Medicine Be Your Food.(Hippocrates)
Cincinnati, OH – July 30, 2007 – Two new review articles that cover therapeutic approaches to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the July issue of Nutrition in Clinical Practice, cite growing evidence that probiotics, and specifically Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 (Bifantis�), are effective in helping manage IBS. Both articles point to data that suggest Bifantis (available in the U.S. only in supplement form, marketed as Align) – has anti-inflammatory properties that help normalize gut function at a cellular level.
In the first article, "Behavioral and Complementary Approaches for the Treatment of IBS," authors note that probiotic and IBS studies are "fraught with inconsistencies" but also note that there is "increasing evidence of efficacy" for probiotics .
Two studies on Bifantis are cited. The first study evaluated patients randomly receiving Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifantis or placebo, and after eight weeks found that the patients receiving Bifantis had the greatest reduction in IBS symptoms. The study also found that these patients experienced a reduction of inflammatory cytokines compared with those taking placebo.
The second study cited in the review article established the therapeutic dose for Bifantis in capsule form at 1 � 108 colony forming units as significantly superior to placebo and all other doses for improvement in abdominal pain, bloating, bowel dysfunction, straining, and gas at the end of the four week study.
"We think that imbalances in gut microflora lead to a chronic, low-level inflammation in the intestines and the presence of these inflammatory biomarkers in the bloodstream.
The overall impact of these circulating biomarkers is unclear, but it's been suggested that they could negatively impact healthy tissues," said Liam O'Mahony, the lead investigator of the inflammation study cited in the review article. "The Bifantis results not only have great implications for the treatment of digestive conditions, but offer researchers a potentially new path of exploration around inflammation-based diseases like arthritis."
The second review article, "Update on Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Gender Differences", which cites the same study by O'Mahony et al., notes that the "strain and type of probiotic used may be responsible for the degree and type of improvement."ii The article highlighted efficacy data from the O'Mahony study, noting that the patients receiving Bifantis experienced a reduction of IBS symptoms ranging from constipation, diarrhea and bloating for up to four weeks.
Probiotics May Improve IBS
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