RESEARCH

Here’s how coffee helps move “things” along in your GI track
For some people, coffee does more than jump-start their day. It also helps “wake up” their GI track and move their bowels along. Despite...

Discovering the biomarkers that lead to IBS
Currently, IBS is diagnosed through a process of elimination. Basically, that means the most common way doctors know what triggered the...

Stool-based enemas can reduce recurrent diarrhea from C difficile bacteria
Recently, IBS Life reported on a capsule-based type of delivery method for fecal implants, in which capsules are pre-filled and taken as...

Using medical cannabis for pain, insomnia, anxiety and depressive symptoms
Ultimately, the study’s findings suggested a need to further examine the benefits of adults using a medical marijuana card to deal with...

The latest research on a poorly misunderstood type of IBS
Gastrointestinal (GI) infections are extremely common in the US, and the culprit is usually a bacteria called Campylobacter. Typically,...

Why different conditions are linked with IBS
There is a growing body of research revealing that people with IBS tend to have more than one chronic health condition or co-morbidities....

Scientists (finally!) identified the genes that may impact both IBS and mental health disorders
An international research team from more than 40 leading institutions looked at genetic data of 40,548 people with IBS and compared them...

Scientists discover IBS pain relief from giant spiders
In a recent study published in ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, researchers have identified a new source of pain relief for IBS...

More doctors are recommending fecal transplants and here are the reasons why
It might sound like a science fiction horror story, but transplanting poop from “super donors” to IBS patients is a reality. A fecal...

A study shows IBS may be the result of an allergic reaction
Some folks with IBS who just don’t trust doctors. They say that after multiple visits and a battery of tests, their physicians would...

How methane gas went from just a symptom to a cause of IBS-C
Most gastroenterology physicians believe methane gas is a by-product of IBS. People diagnosed with IBS tend to produce methane, which...

Here are reasons why some people with IBS get nausea
One of our readers recently asked us if nausea is commonly linked to IBS. Many times, he feels nauseous after a meal. Other times, it...

Living with IBS while having an eating disorder
There is no denying that having IBS is a difficult challenge. But what happens when a person who has IBS is also trying to recover from...

This common medicine can make the COVID-19 vaccine less effective
There’s a new warning out about a common drug prescribed for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Medication that contains the...

A new IBS-D drug is being tested and participants are needed
Despite the fact that there are between 25-45 million people in the US with IBS-D, there are very few antidiarrheal medicines available....

How doctors will diagnose, treat, and manage IBS in the near future
Earlier this year, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) published its recommendations of how physicians should diagnose and...

Coming soon: A simple urine test for diagnosing IBS
Currently, there is no definitive way to confirm if someone has IBS. Receiving a diagnosis usually includes several visits to the doctor...

Gut infections may increase people’s risk of chronic symptoms
Scientists aren't sure exactly why but for some unlucky people, their IBS began after a bout of a gastrointestinal infection (GI). In...

How complementary medicine from Persia can help reduce farting
“I blame my most embarrassing moments on IBS,” confessed an IBS Life reader. “I’ve released gas in a crowded airplane, in an elevator...

UK doctors are studying an old drug as a treatment for IBS
Several physicians in the U.K. are recruiting IBS patients to confirm if an old antidepressant, known as amitriptyline, is effective in...

Watching for signs of IBS in dogs
Dogs are considered man's best friend. When they're happy, their tails wag at high speed. When they're curious or interested, their ears...

The link between diabetes, constipation and diarrhea
There are approximately 29.1 million people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the US, and roughly another 8 million are undiagnosed. When it...

More than one bowel movement a day could lead to serious diverticulitis
People who have more than one bowel movement a day are at higher risk of developing diverticulitis, according to a study that was just...

Here’s a way to get access to cutting-edge therapies
Earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pizensy (lactitol), an osmotic laxative for treating chronic idiopathic...

Could marijuana help with constipation?
The way society views marijuana has changed a lot over the years. It gained popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s, became legalized in some...

Why sitting on the toilet can make IBS-C worse
Did you know that a “defecation postural modification device” (DPMD) could ease constipation? A study that appeared in the Journal of...

Can having IBS affect GERD treatment options?
If you have IBS, it’s likely that you also have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Both issues affect the digestive system and could...

Here’s a reason why IBS differs between men and women
We know that men lose weight and gain muscle more easily than women. Women, on the other hand, tend to hold onto water weight and live...

The amount of sleep you get can cause constipation
If you’ve ever spent a night tossing and turning, you already know you’ll probably feel lousy the next day. However, did you also know...

A study that looks at the stigma around IBS
Despite the fact that more people can openly talk about their health conditions, there are still certain health issues people don’t like...

Certain health issues that affect women may be a clue to IBS
Sometimes it almost seems like the cards are stacked against women. On one hand, women have better memories and are more intuitive (they...

Digestive issues a symptom in nearly half of COVID-19 cases
Right now, don’t dismiss abdominal pain or diarrhea for IBS. A new study found that 48.5 percent of patients with novel coronavirus had dige

Study: Human milk "sugars" improve IBS symptoms
A landmark study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting is shedding new light on how...

Common drugs that may impair gut function
Researchers from the Netherlands confirmed what some of us already suspect—certain medications we take on regular basis may impact how...

How getting sunlight may improve gut health
The amount of sunlight you get may impact gut health, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Microbiology. Researchers in...