Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

No one will give you a specific cause of IBS. Some experts think IBS is a Motility Disorder.  A hyperactive or oversensitive gut is another possible cause of IBS. and the gut will react to changes influenced by food, hormones and stress.

Typically the bowel habit in IBS becomes chaotic. There is no surprised, therefore that it is considered a motility disorder. There is an abnormality in the transit time of ingested food.

Sometimes it is slower than normal causing constipation and other times it is faster causing diarrhoea. There are two types of IBS, diarrhoea predominant and constipation predominant. In some cases constipation and diarrhoea alternate. In IBS stools can vary from watery and unformed to hard pellets.

Some say there is a link between diet and IBS.
Certain foods will trigger IBS symptoms. Intestinal gut activity is stimulated by ingesting food. This is the Gastro-Colic reflex and develops in response to food entering the stomach. Gastro-Colic reflex in IBS is strongest after fatty or large meals. This results in abdominal pains and or diarrhoea.

There is no evidence that food causes IBS but certain foods and the volume consumed at one time can trigger symptoms.

One suggestion is that it is a brain-gut disorder. The Enteric Nervous System is a complex interconnection of brain cells in the gut. Some researchers believe that to understand IBS, we have to understand the workings of the Enteric Nervous System.

The Gut has the richest supply of serotonin in the body. This chemical is closely connected to the nervous system. Significant research is currently done on the chemical and its role in IBS.

Serotonin affects the nerves in the intestine and controls contractions of the smooth muscles of the gut. High serotonin levels are found in diarrhoea and low levels in constipation.

Psychological factors such as anxiety, stress and depression can affect the gut. Trauma suc h as physical, sexual and emotional abuse can affect the gut. In IBS, records show a higher incidence of such trauma. Addressing these issues may produce better long term results.

Gastroenteritis as a cause of IBS: Between 20-30% of patients who develop severe gastroenteritis will go on to develop IBS. The common infective organisms are Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella shigella, and Escherichia coli. Serotonin levels in gastro-enteritis is very high and in cases that develop IBS this high level continues.

In some women, symptoms fluctuate during the menstrual cycle. The two hormones that control the menstrual cycle are oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones can affect the colon and the passage of residue along the gut. In some women IBS is worse at certain stage of their cycle.

Yeast according to Prof. Jonathan Bostoff of The Meddlesex Hospital could be a possible cause of IBS. These patients have reduced levels of friendly bacteria, Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in their large bowel. This results in overgrowth of Candida.