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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Supplements
Supplements for the dietary management of IBS can be unbelievably helpful for stabilizing digestion. This is particularly true when they're used as one of the five key strategies for controlling Irritable Bowel Syndrome (proper diet, stress management, alternative therapies, and prescription medications are the other four).
Soluble fiber supplements, such as acacia senegal, are likely the most effective at addressing global IBS symptoms.
Herbs such as fennel and peppermint that have medicinal effects on the gastrointestinal tract, heat therapy, probiotics, calcium and/or magnesium, and digestive enzymes are also of proven benefit. Best of all, results are usually felt very quickly - sometimes even immediately.
You can usually mix and match various supplements according to the IBS symptoms you're trying to address. Most reputable Irritable Bowel Syndrome supplements are very safe and healthy overall (and they're usually inexpensive as well), so you definitely don't have much to lose by trying them.
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Probiotics are microorganisms which, when taken in adequate amounts, provide health benefits. Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the most common types of microbes used as probiotic supplements. Probiotics are also naturally present in fermented foods with active live cultures. Probiotics improve intestinal microbial balance, inhibiting pathogens and toxin producing bacteria. Probiotics are available as pills or in soy yogurt (avoid dairy yogurt - see dietary trigger foods to learn why).
Probiotics help normalize and maintain healthy gastrointestinal flora, which can minimize diarrhea, bloating, gas, and painful abdominal cramps. Probiotics are most effective when they're taken in conjunction with a prebiotic; a prebiotic (such as Tummy Fiber Acacia) is something that encourages the growth of probiotics. Soluble fibers often have a prebiotic effect, as their normal fermentation in the gut causes the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids, which then lead to the growth of good gut flora. This in turn leads to a reduction (sometimes dramatic) in abdominal bloating and gas.
Probiotics are particularly effective when your gut is under assault from antibiotics, though they can also be helpful when taken for daily maintenance. Quite a few research studies have shown that specific strains of probiotics can dramatically improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. Probiotic supplements should be taken with food.
Calcium and Magnesium play critical and antagonistic roles in regulating muscle function. Together they provide the mechanism for muscle contraction and relaxation.
In terms of GI tract function, calcium has a constipating effect, whereas magnesium acts as a laxative. As a result, calcium supplements can be truly beneficial for people with diarrhea-predominant IBS, and magnesium supplements can work wonders for IBS-constipation. Remember that calcium can block iron absorption in the body and contribute to anemia, so women who take calcium supplements may want to take an iron supplement at a different time of day. Calcium and magnesium should both be taken with food.
To take a calcium/magnesium supplement that will keep your bowel function in balance, it's typically recommended to use a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, as many people absorb magnesium more easily than calcium. I wouldn't exceed the USRDA for calcium or magnesium, taken either singly or together, without an explicit recommendation from your physician.
Digestive Enzymes can be helpful when taken right before a meal, especially if there is more fat in that meal than is safe for IBS. Enzymes are available at all health food stores and may be of more benefit to older people, as natural digestive enzyme production declines with age.
For gassy foods such as beans, lentils, and many vegetables, there is Beano, a brand-name digestive enzyme. Beano contains the sugar-digesting enzyme that the body needs (and which some people lack) to digest the complex sugar raffinose. If you have trouble digesting raffinose the sugar will ferment in your colon, producing gas and intestinal distress. Beano breaks down raffinose into simple sugars that cause no GI discomfort. Beano is available at health food stores in either tablets or drops, and is simply taken at the beginning of a meal. There are no side effects unless you have a rare sensitivity or allergy, and the product can be used every day.
Learn about soluble fiber supplements for IBS.
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Learn IBS Trigger Foods
- IBS Safe Foods
- Soluble Vs. Insoluble Fiber
- 10 Commandments of Eating for IBS
- More for Irritable Bowel Syndrome!
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Excerpted from Eating for IBS.
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