A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Jan 6, 2011) points to a new drug for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) sufferers.

Because traditional medical approaches have been unable to help patients with IBS, this study is being reported in the mainstream media as a promising cure for IBS.

If you suffer from IBS this might sound very hopeful...at first blush.

As with any drug trial, one needs to look deeper and ask questions. For example:

Who sponsored the study?

In this case Salix Pharmaceuticals the maker of the drug Rifaximin, funded the study. Conflict of interest?…hmm.

How many people did the drug help?

After treatment, the study showed that the drug therapy helped 11 percent of the IBS sufferers for a period of up to 10 weeks.  But what happens after 10 weeks? And what if you are one of the 89% that the treatment doesn’t benefit?

What are the side effects?

The drug used in the study is an antibiotic. It’s commonly known that antibiotics set up fertile conditions that promote yeast or Candida overgrowth, which may in turn increase IBS symptoms and other systemic health problems. The study never mentions this.

It appears that this study’s treatment may only offer a temporary solution for a limited number of patients. That’s not the breakthrough you need if you suffer from IBS. To find a true cure for IBS you must first address the root cause.

What’s a better solution for IBS?

In my clinical experience working with hundreds of patients, three factors promote IBS: Compromised digestion, food intolerances and food sensitivities. All three factors need to be considered to eliminate the symptoms of IBS. Which ones fit for you?

Compromised digestion and food Intolerances create IBS.

Patients with IBS frequently exhibit intolerances to a variety of different foods. Food intolerances occur when your body does not make enough of the enzymes it needs to digest the food you are eating. For example, when you are lactose intolerant, your body does not make enough of the enzyme lactase to digest milk sugar (lactose) and as a result you may suffer from bloating, gas and diarrhea. Any compromise in your ability to digest protein, fat, carbohydrates or fiber can result in IBS. Incomplete digestion of food leaves “scraps on the table”, so to speak, for bacteria and yeast in the bowel to feast and thrive on. (Bacterial overgrowth is just a side effect of compromised digestion and not the cause of IBS.) Thus antibiotics only treat one underlying symptom of IBS, not the root cause, which is compromised digestion.

Food allergies and sensitivities also contribute to IBS. 

As more processed and genetically altered foods are being introduced into our diets, food sensitivities and intolerances are increasing. Our bodies are just not designed to digest all those chemicals!

Get Lasting Results for IBS

Rifaximin may not be what you need to solve your IBS. You may have seen your doctor and been told there’s nothing more that can be done. That only means that your doctor does not know how to fix your problem.

Over the last 12 years the Digestion Relief Center has helped hundreds of patients heal from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and live normal lives again.

In our clinic, we test you to find out what the root cause of your IBS is.  We evaluate what foods you digest, and which foods you don’t. We also test for food intolerances and sensitivities. 

Once we have determined the cause, we can effectively bring your body back in balance by enhancing your digestion. Our approach can also desensitize you to foods that produce allergy-like reactions, so you can once again eat foods that you have had to avoid.

If traditional medical approaches to IBS are not working for you, find out how you can have a life free of the pain and embarrassment of IBS.  Call Dr. Patrick’s office today at 530-899-8741 to schedule a consultation and assessment.

2011, © Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC

Original Publication Date: January 20, 2011.  Chico Enterprise Record 'Health Beat'