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Journal Article Summary

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects around 11% of the world population, making it one of the most common digestive disorders. In conventional medicine, it is generally diagnosed by excluding other digestive diseases and is treated based on the presenting systems, classified as constipation-predominant, diarrhoea-predominant or alternating between the two. This review article questions the existence of IBS per se, and explores the identifiable and treatable causes of typical IBS symptoms, including nutritional, lifestyle and environmental factors. The author examines a range of underlying causes and therapeutic options, including the role of stress, circadian rhythms and exercise; nutritional factors such as carbohydrate, gluten, lactose and IgG identified intolerance; and functional imbalances such as pancreatic insufficiency, low grade inflammation and intestinal hyperpermeability. For Nutritional Practitioners, this article will serve as a tool to assist in identifying the root causes of a client’s IBS symptoms, which will help with directing protocol options.