Irritable Bowel Syndrome Supplements
With the complex condition of irritable bowel syndrome, some individuals do not experience full relief of their symptoms with conventional forms of treatment. Clinical studies have been done on patients with IBS that show positive results in relieving their symptoms when taking certain dietary supplements.
While these dietary supplements may be beneficial for some individuals with IBS, caution should be taken by consulting with your physician before making any changes to your diet or when trying any alternative forms of treatment as some natural herbs and supplements can have serious side effects especially when taken with other medications including prescription or over-the-counter medications.
Fiber Supplements
Adding to fiber to an individual’s diet is one of the primary forms of treatment recommended for patients with IBS, however, some individuals have difficulty when increasing the fiber in their diet with conventional methods such as eating large amounts of bran. These individuals find that taking fiber supplements work in a gentler manner in relieving their symptom of constipation.
These supplements include psyllium that is a natural plant-based fiber that is used in Fiberall, Metamucil, and other over-the-counter dietary supplements. Calcium polycarbophil is another effective fiber supplement that is found in Equalactin and Fibercon. Other dietary fiber supplements include wheat bran and corn fiber.
Peppermint Oil and Chamomile
Peppermint oil has been approved in Germany for the treatment of patients with IBS as it helps in reducing the painful muscle spasms that occur in the colon. Peppermint oil can be found in capsule form or used in tea. Chamomile is also another supplement that is known to reduce spasms in the colon and also comes in comes in capsule form or can be found in certain teas.
Probiotic supplements are also recommended by medical experts for the treatment of IBS and include acidophilus which is a bacteria that is beneficial to the intestines and is generally found in yogurt. Acidophilus works in such a manner as to add the “good bacteria” that is needed by the intestines while aiding in the reduction of the harmful bacteria and can also be found in pill form as a supplement.
Food Intolerance
While many of these dietary supplements can be beneficial in the treatment of IBS, food intolerance is commonly found in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. It is essential if you suffer from IBS to determine whether or not your symptoms may be caused by intolerance to certain foods. In order to find out what foods may trigger your IBS systems, you can do so by following an “elimination diet”.
An elimination diet is simply keeping track of all the foods you consume by writing them down in a “food diary” along with any symptoms that you experience. If you should see a pattern develop in regards to certain foods, try eliminating the suspected foods from your diet.