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Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Diarrhea
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Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a water soluble, non-gelling fiber that may help to reduce constipation and to a lesser extent diarrhea and abdominal pain in people with irritable bowel syndrome. PHGG ... appears to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the intestines.
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According to these criteria, you must have certain signs and symptoms before a doctor diagnoses irritable bowel syndrome. The most important are abdominal pain and diarrhea or constipation lasting at least 12 weeks, though they don't have to occur consecutively. You ... need to have at least two of the following:
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Some people have constipation, which means hard, difficult-to-pass, or infrequent bowel movements. Often these people report straining and cramping when trying to have a bowel movement but cannot eliminate any stool, or they are able to eliminate only a small amount. If they are able to have a bowel movement, there may be mucus in it, which is a fluid that moistens and protect passages in the digestive system. Some people with IBS experience diarrhea, which is frequent, loose, watery, stools. People with diarrhea frequently feel an urgent and uncontrollable need to have a bowel movement. Other people with IBS alternate between constipation and diarrhea.
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One out of six adults in developed countries suffers from IBS, a chronic condition marked by abdominal pain and disturbed bowel function. IBS accounts for 12% of adult visits to primary care physicians and is the most common disorder diagnosed by gastroenterologists. Health care costs associated with IBS exceed $25 billion annually. IBS patients fall into three subgroups- constipation-predominant (IBS-C), diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), and alternating (IBS-A)-and 30% to 40% of these patients suffer from IBS-C. There are currently few available therapies to treat the nine million U.S. patients diagnosed with IBS-C.
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IBS is a chronic, painful abdominal disorder that leads to major changes in bowel habits. IBS causes some patients to have constipation, diarrhea or in some cases both. The cause of IBS is not known, and as yet there is no cure. People with chronic IBS may be unable to attend social events, hold a job, or travel away from home. Over 10 percent of the U.S. population suffers from IBS. For unknown reasons, IBS predominantly affects women.
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The well-functioning bowel has regular, rhythmic contractions, which in IBS, become disrupted. Depending on the strength of bowel contractions and the amount of intestinal gas, painful abdominal cramps may be experienced. Variations in intestinal contractions, which may cause material in one section of the intestine to be passing slowly while material in another section is passing quickly, and when these actions occur simultaneously, painful cramps result as well as the characteristic alternating between constipation and diarrhea. Also, prolonged contractions of the bowel may prevent the normal passage of air through the bowel, triggering bloating, belching, and flatulence. Bloating can become so severe that clothing needs to be adjusted and abdominal swelling becomes visible to others.
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