Food Allergy linked to IBS - BBC website

[Guest guest]

Every time the maintstream medical research comes up with things like

this makes me wonder why they are paid to do research.

 

I used to have IBS, and went to a naturopathic dietician (a raw

foodist and fruitarian) who dowsed me for sensitivities, and told me

not to eat wheat (spelt is okay), dairy (which I hadn't been anyway),

peanuts, oranges. When I don't eat these things I have no symptoms,

when I occasionally eat normal wheat I start getting pain again.

 

Jo

 

 

Food Allergy 'linked' to IBS

 

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be linked to allergic reactions to

common foods, research suggests.

Blood tests have revealed IBS patients have raised levels of

antibodies to foods such as wheat, beef, pork, lamb and soya bean,

researchers say.

 

Preliminary trials involving patients avoiding some of these foods

have had encouraging results, they add.

 

The research, by St George's Hospital in London, is published in the

American Journal of Gastroenterology.

 

It opens up a new avenue for the management for this large and

complex group of patients

 

Professor Devinder Kumar

 

It is estimated that IBS affects a third of the population, and about

one in 10 people suffer symptoms bad enough to go to the doctor.

 

Symptoms vary but may include abdominal pain and spasm, diarrhoea,

constipation and bloated stomach.

 

Scientists found patients with different types of symptoms, such as

diarrhoea and constipation, showed signs of food hypersensitivity.

 

Body response

 

Researcher Professor Devinder Kumar said: " Symptoms from the

irritable bowel syndrome can compromise the quality life.

 

" With this simple test, we have scientifically shown that these

symptoms may be due to the body's response to what we eat in our

daily diet.

 

" It opens up a new avenue for the management for this large and

complex group of patients. "

 

Current research suggests that around 5% of the general population

has a hypersensitivity to food.

 

However, up to 65% of IBS patients believe their condition may be

linked to food allergy.

 

Dr Mark Cottrill, a GP and member of the IBS Network, said a food

intolerance test, called the York Test, had helped to identify IBS in

some people.

 

But he told the BBC News website: " Everybody wants one magic pill to

cure IBS, but it is probably a multi-factorial condition, which has

different causes in different people. "

 

Dr Cottrill said it was possible that in some people IBS was related

to a failure of the natural painkilling system to block the

discomfort generated by normal movements in the bowels.

 

Alternatively, the condition has been linked to bowel inflammation

brought on by infection.