Tonight my guest was Dr Reshma Rakshit, Gastroenterologist at Spire Hartswood Hospital.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects up to one in five adults. It is a condition that is characterised by symptoms including abdominal pain, wind, bloating, and changed bowel habit (ranging from diarrhoea to constipation). Symptoms can often be debilitating and lead to a reduced quality of life.
An Australian research team has developed a new approach to dietary management to control symptoms associated with IBS: the Low FODMAP diet. They have produced strong evidence that a group of short-chain carbohydrates, named FODMAPs, are problematic for those with IBS. They are not well absorbed in the small intestine and quickly ferment due to bacteria in the gut.
A Low FODMAP diet can be tailored to meet an individual’s lifestyle and preferences. The Low FODMAP approach does not cure IBS, but allows patients to successfully manage their symptoms through diet.
Recent evidence is beginning to suggest that patients with IBS may have excessive bacteria in their small bowel, referred to as bacterial overgrowth. Therefore there may be benefits of antibiotic-based therapies for IBS.
Spire consultant gastroenterologist Dr Reshma Rakshit has a special interest in IBS as well as other bowel disorders. She can help you by carrying out investigations including blood tests, X-ray based tests and endoscopy (when appropriate). Using these, she can confirm a diagnosis, which involves excluding other possible conditions such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
