Yes, there are benefits for people with irritable bowel syndrome. But it doesn’t seem to matter whether they receive real of sham acupuncture. Continue reading Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome
Category Archives: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
More positive results using probiotics to treat irritable bowel syndrome
Probiotics are now used by 35% to 40% of the US population routinely and with increasing frequency in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Dr. Brian Lacy from Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire reports on the latest probiotic research from the recent Digestive Diseases Week meeting. Continue reading More positive results using probiotics to treat irritable bowel syndrome
What should IBS patients do after the loss of Zelnorm?
Novartis Pharmaceuticals will stop selling Zelnorm (tegaserod), which was used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The decision was made because of an increased risk for serious cardiovascular events.
Perhaps IBS sufferers should start at the beginning.
Continue reading What should IBS patients do after the loss of Zelnorm?
Hypnotherapy treats irritable bowel syndrome
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) experience abdominal pain or discomfort associated with diarrhea and/or constipation. Standard medical treatment options are limited. Therefore, many people choose to pursue CAM, including hypnotherapy.
Continue reading Hypnotherapy treats irritable bowel syndrome
Probiotics and early studies of abdominal pain control
Animal studies are usually too early in the drug development process to be of interest to this blog, but here’s an interesting study in the news.
Continue reading Probiotics and early studies of abdominal pain control
Yoga for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome
According to these study results, yoga complements the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBD).
Continue reading Yoga for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome
A flawed study of homeopathy to treat anxiety, depression, and IBS
The objective here is to illustrate how not to conduct a study on the value of homeopathy — or anything else for that matter.
This study does more to hurt the credibility of homeopathy than to support it.
Here’s why.
Continue reading A flawed study of homeopathy to treat anxiety, depression, and IBS
The importance of proper dosing of probiotics
It’s not merely a matter of “the more the merrier” for therapeutic probiotic bacteria.
Preliminary evidence reported here and here supports the value of the probiotics Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Now, a study in more than 350 women with IBS reports that the dose of B infantis 35624 has an effect on the ability to improve symptoms.
Continue reading The importance of proper dosing of probiotics
Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 and the irritable bowel syndrome
In women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 at a dose of 1×10(8) cfu (colony forming units) is significantly better than placebo and other doses of bifidobacterium for controlling abdominal pain, bloating, bowel dysfunction, incomplete evacuation, straining, and the passage of gas. These are the findings from a study published last month in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. A nice review of the results is here.
Here is some background on Bifidobacterium infantis.
- It’s a supplement, not a drug
- As a probiotic, it’s similar to the active cultures found in some yogurts and fermented milks
- Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help strengthen the body’s natural defenses, and restore the balance of healthy bacteria
- It is sold under the name, Bifantis
Continue reading Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 and the irritable bowel syndrome