3 Pillar-Thearpy - Useful For Irritable Bowel

Prof.DDr.med.Dr.habil Claus Muss Ph.D.

Prof.DDr.med.Dr.habil Claus Muss Ph.D is a leader in the field of nutritional medicine, preventive medicine and immunology as well as co-author of several textbooks and numerous scientific journals.

 

Prof. Dr.Dr. Muss, you are a nutritional physician and immunologist, what is irritable bowel syndrome?

Every 5th Austrian suffers from intestinal complaints, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The typical symptoms are abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea and/or constipation, which burden life either in phases or also chronically, without organic causes being found. Many sufferers are also familiar with headaches, back pain and sleep disorders in this context. Especially in stressful situations, such as before exams, professional challenges, family problems, etc., the symptoms can become more pronounced.

 

 What are the most common causes and risk factors?

Several causes are discussed for irritable bowel syndrome. The most common is the connection with stress and stressful life events in many patients. The close connection between the intestine and the nervous system has led to the term "gut brain". Processes in the gut can affect thinking and brain capacity on the one hand, but on the other hand, psychological processes can also directly affect the gut. This close connection is called the gut-brain axis and can influence gut motility and sensitivity.

Certainly, immunological processes also have an influence on irritable bowel syndrome. These can be easily detected by simple examination procedures. Irritable bowel is not infrequently also associated with a change in the microbiome. In this case, the natural balance of intestinal bacteria is disturbed. This can trigger irritation of the intestinal wall. We also see irritable bowel frequently among patients with malnutrition or food intolerances. Typical antibodies can also be detected in the blood. The prolonged use of certain medications (antibiotics, cortisone, etc.) can also trigger irritable bowel syndrome.

Which therapies have proven successful in your practice?

In practice, the 3-pillar therapy proves reliable:

1. Exclusion of food intolerances and corresponding dietary changes:

First of all, food intolerances should be excluded and then a corresponding change in diet implemented, which is usually desired by patients. In principle, the following applies to irritable bowel syndrome: "Whatever works is allowed! Please pay careful attention to this. A temporary change to a light diet makes sense. Gentle diet means switching to foods that relieve the heavily burdened digestive system again. This includes tea, broth, gruel, rusks (made from spelt or gluten-free), corn or rice wafers. After a short time, however, more foods should be added again.

2. Lifestyle modification and relaxation therapy:

Stress reduction includes both lifestyle modification and relaxation therapy, such as yoga, qigong, autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation, and abdominal hypnosis. There is no personal recommendation for this, because it is best if patients choose the relaxation therapies that suit them personally. It is important that patients learn to let go properly in order to be able to relax again.

3. Medicinal or complementary therapy:

In some cases, the microflora of the intestine must first be optimized. This is best done after prior diagnosis of the microbiome (composition of intestinal bacteria). In order for the frequently used probiotics to actually have a long-term effect, it is essential that other requirements in the therapy are taken into account. Among other things, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying measures are an important prerequisite for successful intestinal rehabilitation.

As a basic therapy, I therefore use PMA zeolite (e.g. PANACEO MED-DARM REPAIR), which sustainably changes the living conditions of the intestinal bacteria, thus promoting the development of an intestinal microbiome and intestinal function in a naturally harmless way. This is particularly important because not every prebiotic can be used successfully in irritable bowel syndrome.

Scientific data are available for this therapeutic approach: In a study with the PMA zeolite in MED DARM-REPAIR, typical IBS symptoms and intestinal inflammation were significantly alleviated. The test persons showed a stable intestinal mucosa (intestinal wall barrier), which had a positive effect on the microbiome.