|

The Best Probiotics For IBS

By Olivia Cross


If you have been diagnosed with IBS then you may be wondering what your options are to reduce the symptoms. Your doctor cannot offer you a cure because there is no cure. Taking probiotics for IBS has resulted in diminished symptoms for a lot of people so you should investigate which one would be best for you.

Getting a diagnosis of IBS does not really tell us what is wrong, it is more like a description of a set of symptoms. These include but are not limited to constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas headaches and cramps. Many thousands of people have now been diagnosed.

You are not alone, about twenty percent of Americans now have this diagnosis. This means that increasing funds are directed to research and in the last few years there have been a couple of reasons for hope. Allergies have been found to damage the gut and lead to IBS so you could try a food allergy test. It is also possible to check for allergies by cutting out different food groups one at a time and seeing what the results are.

The digestive system works with the help of bacteria. They live in our intestines and help break down the food we consume. It is important for this community of bacteria to be in balance and include what have come to be called good bacteria and bad bacteria. If they are out of balance then problems start to occur with the processing of food.

Taking probiotics is a way to re-balance for people who have too many bad bacteria. They are safe and do not have any side effects so it is a good place to start the search for a reduction in symptoms. There are many types of probiotic so it is important to take the most effective one for different types of IBS.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome now has sub-divisions according to the most prevalent symptoms. There is IBS-D where the person has intense bouts of diarrhea and this is the main symptom. In this case the recommended probiotic is Saccharomyces Boulardii. It is prescribed in many hospitals for people who are experiencing diarrhea and has shown good results in helping with this type of IBS.

If constipation is the main problem then a combination of fiber and Bifidobacterium Lactis is a good bet. It is important to treat constipation as it is not good for long term health. If you find that your problem swings between diarhhea and constipation then try both of these probiotcs. If that does not work then try a general daily probiotic.

Probiotic treatments are now helping many patients. They are safe and natural so it is fine to experiment with different ones until the most effective is found. A diagnosis of IBS used to mean that people were resigned to a drop in their quality of life but fortunately this is no longer the case. If these do not help then try allergy tests, digestive enzymes or rifaximin which cures an overgrowth of bacteria in the gut.




About the Author: