Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a poorly understood condition
where you have frequent abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating,
and irregular bowel movements. The cause of IBS is unknown.
General IBS treatment focuses on controlling the symptoms. This
may include identifying and avoiding dietary factors that cause
symptoms, changing eating habits, stress management, and
medication. The use of probiotics has also sparked interest.
Probiotics are a form of healthy bacteria normally found in the
intestines. A healthy intestine has a collection of good
bacteria that may play a role in intestinal function. This good
bacteria may be destroyed or disrupted because of illnesses,
medications, or diets. The change in bacteria levels may lead to
an irritation of the intestinal walls. Consuming specific type
of probiotics may help build the good bacteria colony back up to
helpful levels. Researchers from Italy wanted to examine if a
daily Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 probiotic supplement could
successfully reduce IBS sy