geoffrey modest medical blogs

A recent study found that a Mediterranean diet was superior to the traditional diet in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome, IBS  (see irritable bowel Mediterannean  Diet helps AnnIntMed2025 in dropbox or doi:10.7326/ANNALS-25-01519)   Details : -- 139 persons from across the United Kingdom aged 18 to 65 with IBS per the Rome IV diagnostic criteria were enrolled after having received a score of at least 75 on the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS)     -- participants were enrolled into 2 groups         -- traditional IBS diet (TDA), a sensible eating habit to avoid excess fatty foods, spicy foods, processed foods, caffeine, fizzy drinks, and alcohol (all of which can be triggers to IBS)         -- Mediterranean diet, with principal components being rich in fruit, vegetables, pulses (dried edible seeds of legume plants such as beans, lentils, and peas), whole grains, nuts...

Both irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) are very common (prevalence 5-20%) and without great medical therapies: "no therapy has been proven to alter the natural history of either condition in the long term". hence, the attraction of probiotics, which might alter the GI microbiome fundamentally. A recent meta-analysis looked at the use of probiotics (live or attenuated microorganisms that might be beneficial), prebiotics (food ingredients that remain undigested which might stimulate growth of beneficial microorganisms), and synbiotics (combinations of prebiotics and probiotics) -- see  irritable bowel probiotics AJG 2014 ​ in dropbox, or doi:10.1038/ajg.2014.202​. they reviewed 43 articles. there were 35 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of probiotics, 2 of synbiotics and 1 of prebiotics for IBS.  for CIC there were only 3 of probiotics, 2 of synbiotics, and  1 of prebiotics....