Irritable bowel syndrome

• Food allergy/intolerance
• Gut dysbiosis
• Stress
• Undiagnosed parasites.

Specific foods caused symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in 14 or 21 patients. Double-blind challenge confirmed this in 6 cases. Jones VA et al: Food intolerance: a major factor in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet 2(8308):1115-7, 1982.

In 14 patients with irritable bowel syndrome, one or more foods or food additives were shown to induce symptoms. The presence of yeast (Candida albicans) was found to promote the development of food intolerance reactions in some patients. The investigators concluded that dramatic clinical improvements can result from the use of a suitable exclusion diet. Petitpierre M et al: Irritable bowel syndrome and hypersensitivy to food. Ann Allergy 54(6):538-40, 1985.