Fiber Supplement Could Help Millions With IBS, Australian Study
Researchers at Edith Cowan University say a fiber blend called ur gut improved gut health in people with irritable bowel syndrome without worsening pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. It also reduced gut-related anxiety, according to the team.
A fiber supplement could help millions of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) improve their gut health without making symptoms worse, according to researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia.
The team at ECU's Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute tested a supplement called ur gut®. They found it improved gut health in people with IBS without increasing abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation.
IBS affects people worldwide, including nearly 11 percent of Australians. Its exact cause remains unclear. Stress, infections and certain medications may contribute, and symptoms can worsen with particular foods, poor sleep, hormonal changes and lifestyle factors.
The work targets a known problem with a common treatment. People with IBS are often advised to follow a low-FODMAP diet, which limits carbohydrates that gut bacteria ferment easily.
"For years we've known that a diet low in Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monesaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs) can relieve symptoms, but they can also reduce beneficial gut bacteria and negatively impact fiber intake over time," said lead author Dr. Tina Yan.
"We wanted to find a way to build better gut health while following a low-FODMAP diet."
The supplement combines two ingredients: resistant starch and psyllium husk. The researchers say psyllium appears to slow the breakdown of resistant starch by gut bacteria. More of the starch then reaches deeper sections of the colon before it ferments, which may increase production of compounds that support intestinal health.
Fermentable fiber is usually hard on people with IBS because it can create excess gas and discomfort. Yan said participants in this study kept stable symptoms while their gut bacteria improved.
"What's exciting about this study is that participants maintained stable symptoms while showing meaningful improvements in their gut microbiota as well as in their gut-related anxiety," she said.
The researchers saw substantial shifts in the makeup of participants' gut bacteria over a relatively short period. Professor Amanda Devine, co-creator of ur gut®, said "changes of this magnitude are rarely seen with such a short intervention."
Participants also reported less gut-related anxiety. The team says further research is needed to establish the supplement's broader effects.
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