Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

No one will give you a specific cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Some experts think IBS is a Motility Disorder.  A hyperactive or oversensitive gut is another possible cause of IBS. and the gut will react to changes influenced by food, hormones and stress.

With the typical chaotic bowel habit of IBS, it is not surprising that it is thought of as a motility disorder. There is an abnormality in the transit time of ingested food.

In diarrhoea the transit time is faster and in constipation it is slower. IBS is generally divided into two groups, diarrhoea predominant and constipation predominant. In some cases constipation and diarrhoea alternate. In IBS stools can vary from watery and unformed to hard pellets.

Some say there is a link between diet and IBS.
Certain foods will trigger IBS symptoms. Intestinal gut activity is stimulated by ingesting food. This is a normal action and the most common is the Gastro colic reflex. This reflex is strongest after breakfast. Gastro-Colic reflex in IBS is strongest after fatty or large meals. This results in abdominal pains and or diarrhoea.

There is no evidence that food causes IBS but certain foods and the volume consumed at one time can trigger symptoms.

One suggestion is that it is a brain-gut disorder. The gut has a complex network of brain cells called the Enteric Nervous System. This “Brain of the Gut” is connected to the Brain. Some researchers believe that to understand IBS, we have to understand the workings of the Enteric Nervous System.

The Gut has the richest supply of serotonin in the body. This chemical is closely connected to the nervous system. At present a lot of research is focused on gut serotonin receptors.

Contractions of the smooth muscles of the gut are affected by serotonin. High serotonin levels are found in diarrhoea and low levels in constipation.

Psychological factors such as anxiety, stress and depression can affect the gut. Trauma suc h as physical, sexual and emotional abuse can affect the gut. In IBS, records show a higher incidence of such trauma. Addressing these issues may produce better long term results.

Gastroenteritis as a cause of IBS: IBS can develop is 20-30% of cases of severe gastro-enteritis. Escherichia coli, Salmonella shigella and Camplobacter jejuni are the most common organisms involved. Serotonin levels in gastro-enteritis is very high and in cases that develop IBS this high level continues.

In women with IBS, the hormones progesterone and estrogen vary during the menstrual cycle and the symptoms may fluctuate. These hormones can affect the colon and the passage of residue along the gut. In some women IBS is worse at certain stage of their cycle.

Yeast according to Prof. Jonathan Bostoff of The Meddlesex Hospital could be a possible cause of IBS. These patients have reduced levels of friendly bacteria, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in their large bowel. This results in overgrowth of Candida.