Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gut disorder that affects 11% of the world's popuation. It affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups and 70% of sufferers are female. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel habits.

• Massive impact on quality of life

• Clogs up waiting rooms and waiting lists

• Extremely costly for individuals and health care systems

IBS is a functional gut disorder and doesn't cause any obvious structural changes making it difficult to diagnose. It is typically diagnosed using colonoscopies to rule out other conditions. However, this 'diagnosis-of-exclusion' approach is unsatisfactory for many patients and their clinicians. The alterntive using the Rome IV symptom-based diagnostic criteria seems to miss many IBS cases

More information about IBS is available here.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) sounds similar to IBS and has similar symptoms, but is rarer and quite different in nature.

IBD results in structural changes in the gut. Indeed, in IBD the gut is damaged by chronic inflammation. These changes can be picked up by investigations like colonoscopies, x-rays or biopsies.

Typical symptoms of IBD are abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The body’s response to the inflammation can also cause fever and fatigue. When people with IBD have flare-ups of inflammation they may also find that they are unable to eat and they can experience malnutrition. The damaged parts of the gut may also bleed leading to anaemia (low iron).

IBD is split into two categories:

• Crohn’s disease, and

• Ulcerative colitis.

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal system. In contrast, ulcerative colitis only damages the large intestine or rectum. Both types of IBD can also affect the eyes, joints and skin.

IBD tends to be even more debilitating than IBS. Unfortunately, most IBD patients need strong medication and nutritional interventions to control the condition and many eventually need surgery.

IBD affects both men and women equally, but is more common among some ethnic groups, such as Northern Europeans.

To make things more complicated many people with IBD experience IBS type symptoms, even during periods without active inflamation or a flare-up.

Useful information on IBD is available form Crohns & Colitis Australia and from GESA. GESA also provide great information about diet and IBD. Our Superflora shakes contain fibre and hence are not suitable for people with Crohn’s or colitis suffering a flare and trying to follow a low residue or low-fibre diet.. However, once the inflammation has healed, a low-FODMAP diet including our Superflora Gut Health Shakes and Daily Gut Health Boost can help with any IBS type symptoms experienced by people with IBD.

Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease is a disorder of the immune system that largely affects the small intestine. Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gluten found in wheat and in other grains. Presence of even tiny amounts of gluten causes the immune system to make antibodies against the body’s own proteins. This can cause inflammation and damage to the little villi (fingers) on the lining of the small intestine. It often begins very young in life as a baby or toddler. One in 70 Australians have coeliac disease.

Common symptoms are:

• diarrhoea

• pain

• tiredness

• malabsorption of nutrients leading to weight loss or failure to grow

Coeliac disease can be managed with a gluten-free diet. More information about coeliac disease is available here.

Diverticular disease

Defects in the large intestine wall can lead to the formation of abnormal bulges or pouches of the wall called diverticulosis. These pouches become more common as we age. More than half of people aged over 70 have diverticulosis, and typically it causes no problems. However, if the pouches become infected or inflamed the condition evolves into the more serious diverticulitis. Together diverticulosis and diverticulitis are known as diverticular disease.

Symptoms of diverticulitis include

• sharp pain

• fever

• distension of the abdomen

• nausea and vomiting.

• constipation or less commonly, diarrhoea

Mild cases can be treated at home with antibiotics, but diverticulitis is often a medical emergency requiring admission to hospital.

Similar to IBD, our Superflora shakes and Boost are not suitable during a diverticulits flare due to their fibre content. However, at other times a high-fibre diet is the best way to prevent diverticultis. Our shakes can help contribute to the recommended 25 to 30g of fibre needed per day.

More information is available here.

Heartburn

Heartburn or indigestion is the feeling of burning pain rising up from the stomach or lower chest towards the neck. The pain is caused by stomach acid leaking from the stomach and moving back up to the oesophagus (food pipe).

Almost everyone has heartburn from time to time. Doctors consider it gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) when it happens more than twice a week. It can eventually lead to more serious health problems.

Many people can control their GORD by avoiding triggering foods and drinks, elevating the head of the bed at night or taking over the counter antacids. A few may require stronger medication or even keyhole surgery to strengthen the sphincter that closes the opening between the oesophagus and stomach.

More information is available here.

Important

Given the similarity between the symptoms of many of these chronic conditions and infections, colon cancer, and appendicitis it is always worth visiting your doctor for thorough investigation of new gut symptoms.

It is also vital that older people undergo regular screening for bowel cancer. In Australia, everyone aged 50 to 74 is sent a free bowel screening test in the mail every two years by the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. These tests save lives. Around 90% of bowel cancer cases are cured if detected early. Complete and send yours back today.

If you are not yet 50, but concerned about gut symptoms or at high risk of colon cancer, for example due to IBD, family history, obesity, smoking, or high alcohol or red meat consumption, then talk to your doctor about additional options.