The American College of Gastroenterology has just released new recommendations for the treatment of IBS—one of the most common disorders affecting North Americans, and among the least understood.
The college says its doing this now because there’s been an “explosion in knowledge” about the functional illness since its last update in 2002.
We recently devoted a big chunk of the magazine to stories about gut problems including IBS and addressed many of the recommendations the college has made, including the use of antidepressants and probiotics.
Among the recommendations:
-an easing up on the number of tests required before a patient is diagnosed with IBS
-celiac disease should be considered when a patient presents symptoms common to IBS
-antidepressants be recognized and endorsed as a helpful treatment option
-probiotics such as Bifidobacter infantis be looked upon as beneficial
