High Fiber Diet

Fiber and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of the lower digestive tract.  The symptoms of IBS can be quite varied.  They can be a mix of several symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, crampy abdominal discomfort, bloating and gas.  An attack of IBS can be triggered by emotional tension and anxiety, poor dietary habits and certain medications.  It is now known that infections in the intestine can lead to long-term IBS symptoms.  Increased amounts of fiber in the diet can help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by producing soft, bulky stools.  This helps to normalize the time it takes for the stool to pass through the colon.  Recent medical research with newer techniques has shown some surprising and dramatic findings for IBS patients.  Specifically, there is a very significant and abnormal shift of bacteria from those that provide health benefits to those bad bacteria that we really do not want in the gut.  The technical name for this bad group of bacteria is called Firmicutes.  Along with this abnormal bacterial collection, there is a smoldering low-grade inflammation in the gut wall that may contribute to symptoms.  The goal for IBS patients should be to gradually increase the soluble dietary fibers in the diet so as to promote the growth of good bacteria and so suppress the bad ones along with the associated inflammation.

IBS patients need to be careful of the amount of soluble fiber they consume.  The reason for this is that, while the good colon bacteria thrive on these fibers and produce health benefits, other gas-forming bacteria may generate excessive but harmless gas and subsequent bloating.  Thus, soluble plant fibers or a dietary prebiotic supplement should be taken in small initial doses and then gradually increased to tolerance.