PLoS Pathogens has just published a study that sought to study the effects of Bifidobacterium infantis, a common probiotic. You would need a degree in molecular biology to truly interpret the study, so I will give you a brief overview (any mistakes in the telling are mine alone). It seems that they gave the probiotic to some mice who were then infected with the Salmonella virus (I guess some animals were harmed for the sake of research). The researchers were looking to see what the effect the probiotic would have on the various cells and substances that are associated with inflammation and infection. Apparently what they hoped would happen did happen. The conclusion was that the probiotic served to protect against infection and limited damage done by the body’s natural immune response to the virus.

So, why am I telling you all this? As you know, if you have read my article “Probiotics for IBS”, probiotics, particularly the Bifidobacterium used in the study, are considered to be fairly safe and helpful in reducing IBS symptoms. The fact that they might have overall protective benefits for your overall health is a wonderful bonus. Again, if you have been reading what I write, I am always looking for that silver lining!

_Source:

O'Mahony C., et. al. “Commensal-Induced Regulatory T Cells Mediate Protection against Pathogen-Stimulated NF-κB Activation” PLoS Pathogens 4(8).

Please help Gina. In a recent post to the IBS discussion forum, Gina discusses the strong physical reaction that she has when she drinks even small amounts of alcohol. Since she is, in her words, “only 28!”, this is a big problem for her in her life. As is typical, she does not feel that her doctors are interested in this. She is asking for feedback from others as to why this might be happening. If you have any information or experience that you are willing to share with Gina, please post it on the forum.

Alright, I admit it, I am biased when it comes to discussing CBT for IBS. As a CBT practitioner, I enjoy watching as my patients begin to experience symptom relief in a relatively short period. A new study has been published that again supports CBT as an effective treatment for IBS, but with a new angle. This study, published in the August 2008 issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, sought to investigate the effectiveness of a self-administered form of CBT.

The 75 study participants were broken up into three groups: 10 sessions of CBT with a therapist, 4 sessions of self-administered CBT, and a wait list control group. After a 12 week period, it was found that the patients who received either of the two forms of CBT experienced significantly greater symptom improvement and quality of life as opposed to those on the waiting list. The one sour note was that there was no difference among the three groups in terms of any improvement in psychological distress.

What I like about this study (aside from the obvious CBT focus) was the fact that it offers IBS patients a treatment option that perhaps is more accessible. One of the things that I find most sad and most puzzling about IBS is that people will live with it for years without seeking any form of treatment. You all could probably do a better job than I can in terms of explaining why that is. If it has anything to do with the embarrassment of telling someone about your symptoms or perhaps just the sheer difficulty of getting out of the house, than a form of treatment that you could receive on your own would be just the ticket. Hopefully, effective self-administered treatments will make their way into the marketplace.

For more info, see my article "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for IBS".

_Source:

Lackner, J., Jaccard, J., Krasner, S., Katz, L., Gudleski, G. & Holroyd, K. “Self-Administered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Moderate to Severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Clinical Efficacy, Tolerability, Feasibility" Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2008 6:899-906.

Unlike the now famous commercial, going back to school might not be “the most wonderful time of the year” if you suffer from IBS. I frequently hear stories about students who find it a real struggle to deal with school while managing the special needs of their bodies. I once did a consult with a young kid who had to get up for school three hours early just to make sure that his system would be quiet by the time he got to school. Anyone who says IBS is “all in your head” should spend ONE day walking in that kid’s shoes and then let’s see what they have to say!

In an attempt to help you to ease the transition, I have written “Back to School with IBS”. I hope my practical tips help you to have a wonderful, successful school year. Please let me know how it is going for you on the IBS discussion forum.