People with IBS have lower bacterial diversity in their intestines

By Pol Allingham via SWNS

People with irritable bowel syndrome have lower bacterial diversity in their intestines, according to a new study.

Disruption of the microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract can trigger the debilitating condition also known as IBS, say scientists.

For the first time researchers have discovered a “clear association” with already having a reduced diversity and developing the disorder.

Sufferers typically face bloating, diarrhea, stomach pain and cramps and there is currently no effective treatment strategy or known cause.

Over 10,000 microorganism species live in the intestine and adult participants with IBS had different amounts of 21 of them, versus the health controls.

Professor Jung OK Shim at Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, which ran the study, said: “More than 10,000 species of microorganism live in the human intestine.

“Investigations showed disturbed gut bacterial community is associated with IBS, though this does not mean that the relationship is causal.

“Functional studies are needed to prove whether the change in gut micro-organisms contributes to development of IBS.”

Until now studies of gut bacteria in patients with IBS have been controversial and produced inconsistent results.

But this study published in the journal Microbiology Spectrum encompassed 576 IVS patients and 487 healthy controls.

Researchers added: “Based on the epidemiological studies of IBS patients, altered gut microbiota was proposed as one of the possible causes of IBS.

“Acute bacterial gastroenteritis can cause chronic, asymptomatic, low-grade intestinal wall inflammation sufficient to alter neuromuscular and epithelial cell function.”