The simple supplement that can eliminate your daily abdominal pain and diarrhoea in just weeks… I recommend it to all my patients: DR PHILIPPA KAYE

The patient in my counseling room is tired. His two-year-old 42-year-old mother-let’s say Nisha-for years, daily abdominal pain and diarrhea. But when he called for help, Nisha was told the same: ‘A little IBS’ was and there was not much to do.

Irritable bowel syndrome affects more than ten people in the UK. At best, it is disturbing and the worst, sleep, work and quality of life peeling patients. Nevertheless, there is no NHS -approved prescription drug specially designed to treat it.

Worse, many patients, such as Nisha, are given little advice on how to manage their symptoms or no advice. When they get off in front of me – usually by chance, after jumping among doctors for years – desperate. It upset me because research shows that there are simple, affordable steps that can significantly reduce IBS symptoms.

In particular, an approach stands out with remarkable consequences for many patients: probiotic supplements.

Like many GPs, I doubt the endless reinforcement that promises to increase health and improve all diseases for a long time. However, probiotics for IBS are one of the few people I really recommend. These products – usually drinks or capsules – contain vivid bacteria designed to improve intestinal health and can alleviate even serious IBS symptoms according to the research.

Perhaps the best known, many patients, who give credit to transform their lives, from diarrhea to bloating and constipation, taking everything up to £ 50 per month. However, there are other probiotic options on the market.

Many patients, which transform their lives, from diarrhea to bloating and constipation, taking everything a month of £ 50 per month, Symprove’a credit

In recent years, I have talked to an increasing number of patients who sometimes tried probiotics from despair and reported dramatic developments.

A 60 -year -old boy said he had fought with bloating and cramps for years until he started to buy a daily probiotic capsule with breakfast. “ I no longer have a symptom ‘he said. ‘I would recommend only £ 20 per month and I recommend it to all my friends.’

Probiotics are not a treatment. Evidence shows that roughly half of IBS patients will not see a significant benefit and are just one of the few simple steps that can help alleviate symptoms. But a biotic can be right for you, and if so, which one should you try?

The need for better IBS treatment is clear. It lives with up to 13 million British situations, but doctors still do not fully understand what it causes or how to treat the best. IBS is usually considered as a extremely sensitive intestine in which eating or drinking can trigger pain, bloating and diarrhea. It is about twice as common in women than men and is mostly diagnosed between the ages of 20-40.

NHS advice is to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and make regular exercise. Patients are asked to avoid eating very quickly, reduce oily, spicy or processed foods, limit themselves to three servings of fruit and three caffeinated drinks a day, and avoid alcohol and gas drinks. However, for many, diet settings are not sufficient. Some of them are referred to therapies speaking to help them cope, while prescribing low -dose antidepressants such as amitriptiline or cytalopram working on intestinal nerve sensitivity. It is no wonder that probiotic supplements become a popular option.

Many studies argue that IBS’s unhealthy intestinal microbiome – trillions of bacteria and other ‘friend’ microbes in the stomach can be triggered by the developing community. The theory is that a probiotic that increases intestinal health can improve symptoms.

NHS advises patients to try probiotic for a month to see if symptoms have healed. What I recommend includes Symprove (50 £ 50 per month), bio-cultural (26 £), good intestinal bacteria (20 £) and live cultures+ (15 £). Each contains a different mixture of bacteria, so there is usually some trial and error before finding one that helps.

For some, probiotics can make symptoms worse – and there are other approaches. One of the most effective ones is the low Fodmap diet that cuts certain fruits, vegetables, whole wheat, pulse and nuts.

Eating a balanced diet rich in plant -based materials is important for a healthy intestinal microbiome.

However, for many, some of these foods can also trigger symptoms.

It does not mean that the low Fodmap diet is followed for life. Many can gradually re -introduce higher fiber foods after defining their main triggers. The studies show that three of the four patients respond well to the diet – but many have difficulty in being connected.

Exercise is usually another step that is overlooked. Research shows that regular activity can alleviate IBS symptoms and that core strengthening training such as yoga and pilates seems particularly effective to reduce bloating.

There are drugs on the counter worth trying. Tablets such as Colofac and Buscopan can calm painful bowel spasms. Mint oil capsules such as Colpermin and Mintac can help bloating and drugs such as Immodium and Enterosgel can help diarrhea.

All these options are worth discussing with a GP. Many give the best results for a combination of approaches. Take Nisha. Now it takes daily probiotics, uses enterosgel during exacerbations and exercises regularly. His symptoms did not disappear completely, but it can be more managed than he first came to see me.

The lock message is this: Don’t let anyone refuse your symptoms as ‘IBS’.

This may be a weakening condition and no one has to suffer unnecessarily with the right steps.