IBS – one in five Americans

If you are a person with IBS, traveling can be a real problem. Not only does IBS affect a person on a daily basis but let them change their routine and it can be disastrous. It is said that one in five Americans have IBS. However IBS is a catch all for any digestive disorder that can not be identified. It seems it only has symptoms without a definitive physical pin point. Here is a definition from the national Digestive Clearinghouse Center. Note the reference to serotonin.
From the National Digestive Clearing House Center
Normal motility, or movement, may not be present in the colon of a person who has IBS. It can be spasmodic or can even stop working temporarily. Spasms are sudden strong muscle contractions that come and go.
* The lining of the colon called the epithelium, which is affected by the immune and nervous systems, regulates the flow of fluids in and out of the colon. In IBS, the epithelium appears to work properly. However, when the contents inside the colon move too quickly, the colon loses its ability to absorb fluids. The result is too much fluid in the stool. In other people, the movement inside the colon is too slow, which causes extra fluid to be absorbed. As a result, a person develops constipation.
* A person’s colon may respond strongly to stimuli such as certain foods or stress that would not bother most people.
* Recent research has reported that serotonin is linked with normal gastrointestinal (GI) functioning. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical, that delivers messages from one part of your body to another. Ninety-five percent of the serotonin in your body is located in the GI tract, and the other 5 percent is found in the brain. Cells that line the inside of the bowel work as transporters and carry the serotonin out of the GI tract. People with IBS, however, have diminished receptor activity, causing abnormal levels of serotonin to exist in the GI tract. As a result, they experience problems with bowel movement, motility, and sensation—having more sensitive pain receptors in their GI tract.
* Researchers have reported that IBS may be caused by a bacterial infection in the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that people who have had gastroenteritis sometimes develop IBS, otherwise called post-infectious IBS.
* Researchers have also found very mild celiac disease in some people with symptoms similar to IBS. People with celiac disease cannot digest gluten, a substance found in wheat, rye, and barley. People with celiac disease cannot eat these foods without becoming very sick because their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. A blood test can determine whether celiac disease may be present. (For information about celiac disease, see the NIDDK’s Celiac Disease fact sheet.)
Most recent studies on IBS have led researcher to believe that IBS is a genetic situation that we are born with and gets worse over time. Also they believe that it has to do with neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin.
Serotonin is the feel good transmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another. Although serotonin is manufactured in the brain, where it performs its primary functions, some 90% of our serotonin supply is found in the digestive tract and in blood platelets.
Serotonin is made through a biochemical process where the body uses trytophan taken from protein. Chicken and turkey are what most of us have heard supply trytophan to the body. Trytophan relaxes us and can make us sleepy.
As a neurotransmitter, serotonin helps to relay messages from one area of the brain to another. Because of the widespread distribution of its cells, it is believed to influence a variety of psychological and other body functions. Of the approximately 40 million brain cells, most are influenced either directly or indirectly by serotonin. This includes brain cells related to mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation, and some social behavior.
Because this neurotransmitter has such a profound influence over the body-mind it would make sense that it could also help relieve some of the symptoms of IBS considering that IBS has a direct link to stress and depression. Although serotonin is found in the cells it is essential that we get it through our diets.
Some of the foods that are good sources of serotonin are turkey, chicken, chocolate, bananas, dairy products, dates, milk, cottage cheese, meat, fish and peanuts. Vitamins B6 is necessary for the conversion of trytophan to serotonin. A diet low in B6 may result in deficiency of serotonin.
Other factors that affect the uptake of serotonin are exercise and healthy eating habits. Serotonin is prohibited by smoking, alcoholism, excessive sugar and excessive consumption of protein.
Next week we’ll take a look at how B6, serotonin and chocolate can enhance both our mental outlook and our sexual drive.
Doctor Lynn
Doctorlynn.com