Boost your gut feeling: From a tummy massager to gummies and a tracker app, which is the best for IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects one in ten adults in the UK, causing bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and cramps.
There is no one cause — which is why it’s notoriously difficult to treat — but triggers include overindulgence, an imbalance of gut bacteria, infections and stress. This may explain a possible recent spike in cases, given the stress of getting through a particularly difficult Christmas, and the fear of catching Covid-19.
JO WATERS asked Peter Whorwell, a professor of medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Manchester, to assess some of the new products to treat it. We then rated them.
DOCTOR GUT IBS RELIEF CAPSULES
15 capsules for £5.79, doctorgut.co.uk
Claim: The capsules contain diosmectite, a clay said to bind to toxins produced by ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut and remove them in stools; and simethicone, an anti-flatulence agent. Together, these ingredients relieve abdominal pain, bloating and gas. Take two capsules, three times daily, with food.
Expert verdict: There is research to support both ingredients’ use in treating IBS. Diosmectite has been clinically proven to help diarrhoea, as it absorbs toxins produced by ‘bad’ bacteria.
And simethicone is an established and safe preparation for reducing flatulence. It works by allowing bubbles of gas [which can build up in the gut due to swallowing air when we eat and drink, or as a result of digestion] to combine more easily, so that they can be passed out of the body without causing discomfort.
While all of us have gas in the gut, people with IBS complain of having too much — one theory is that this is because of an imbalance of gut bacteria.
This product is worth a try if you have confirmed IBS, but see a doctor if it doesn’t work after 30 days’ use.
9/10
DOCTOR GUT IBS RELIEF CAPSULES
REGULAR GIRL PREBIOTIC & PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT
30 sachets for £32.99, fodmarket.co.uk
REGULAR GIRL PREBIOTIC & PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT
Claim: Each sachet contains ‘probiotics’, or beneficial gut bacteria, and a ‘prebiotic fibre’ called guar, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
Together these are said to promote gastrointestinal health and relieve symptoms of constipation and diarrhoea. Mix a sachet with water daily.
Expert verdict: In many cases of IBS there is an imbalance of bacteria in your gut (known as dysbiosis), so taking probiotics and prebiotics can be useful. Studies have suggested that guar fibre can help with IBS symptoms by feeding the ‘good’ gut bacteria.
However, different people have different imbalances, so one probiotic may work for one individual and not for another — there may be a lot of trial and error in finding one that works for you.
This is also quite expensive, and it may be cheaper to try specific components separately.
4/10
WICKED GUMMY CO’S HAPPY TUMMY GUMMY
60 gummies for £21.99, wickedgummyco.com
WICKED GUMMY CO’S HAPPY TUMMY GUMMY
Claim: Each yoghurt-covered gummy contains ‘bacterial cultures to help restore the natural balance of the digestive system’, says the maker.
These include the bacteria Lactobacillus salivarius and Lactobacillus casei, as well as inulin — a prebiotic fibre that feeds friendly gut bacteria.
Expert verdict: These specific probiotics have been shown to be beneficial in clinical trials and may help balance bacteria in the gut which worsen IBS in some people. However, it is an inexact science in that you don’t know how much of one type you have, or what you need.
I wonder why they have included inulin as, although it is a prebiotic, it is not well tolerated in IBS patients and may worsen symptoms in some.
The yoghurt layer helps it to taste nice, but it also contains sugar — 2g and 18 calories per two-gummy dose — so it may not be so good for your teeth, particularly if you eat more than the recommended dose. Overall, this is a gimmicky product — and quite an expensive one.
5/10
DERMA MEDICO SQUATTING STOOL
£6.99, amazon.co.uk
Claim: This stool sits in front of a loo seat and is designed to encourage a squatting position, which is said to be ideal for passing stools more easily. You simply place your feet on it, to raise the knees above the hips, while sitting on the loo.
Expert verdict: This makes perfectly good sense, as adopting a squatting position, where you lean forward and raise your knees above your hips, is the optimal way to pass a stool. That’s because it correctly aligns the bowel.
This could be useful for anyone who suffers from constipation of any severity. But while other products here can help with IBS symptoms overall, this is useful only for constipation, so use it alongside other treatments for IBS. Fibre supplements, suppositories and laxatives can also ease constipation.
7/10
DERMA MEDICO SQUATTING STOOL
MOWOOT GUT MASSAGER
£1,302, mowoot.com
Claim: This device consists of a fabric belt connected to a console via a wire. When worn around the abdomen and activated, the belt expands to tighten around the tummy, and then relaxes, repeatedly.
This is said to ‘stimulate the movement of the colon and ease constipation’, the maker says. Use it for up to 20 minutes three times a day initially, or less depending on the severity of symptoms.
A study, by the maker, of ten women with constipation who used the device found all of them reported an increase in bowel movements, and a four-week clinical trial is under way, involving 100 patients in Spain and at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Expert verdict: Abdominal massage has been used for many years to ease constipation — and this machine may mimic the contractions of the large intestine to help move material along the gut, soften stools and reduce abdominal pain.
This device looks like a giant blood pressure machine, but instead of your arm, the cuff goes around your abdomen. It inflates and deflates to mimic the contractions of the gut — it may well work, but it is very expensive for what it does.
This device should be used only in people with diagnosed IBS, and could be dangerous if you have other gastrointestinal issues such as inflammatory bowel diseases.
5/10
MOWOOT GUT MASSAGER
BUSCOMINT CAPSULES
24 capsules for £6.99, superdrug.com
Claim: These capsules provide relief of abdominal pain, cramps, and flatulence, says the maker. The active ingredient is peppermint oil and the capsules are gastro-resistant, meaning they have a special layer that prevents the peppermint oil from breaking down in stomach acid and instead releases it in the bowel where it is needed. Take one up to three times a day.
BUSCOMINT CAPSULES
Expert verdict: Peppermint oil has lots of high-quality evidence behind it as being helpful in IBS. It is one of the few herbal remedies recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to be included in the treatment options for patients.
The theory is it blocks calcium channels (proteins in the muscle of the bowel wall), which are involved in painful stomach cramps, to ease pain.
While peppermint oil can be effective for easing painful cramps in IBS, one of the drawbacks of using it at high doses — as is found here — is that it can cause heartburn. Having said that, these capsules are gastro-resistant and break down in the intestines, so you shouldn’t experience this.
9/10
Claim: These capsules contain 13 ‘powerful enzymes’ — proteins released in the gut that help speed up digestion. The company says they contain a sufficient dose to address most common digestive complaints, such as indigestion, bloating and wind. Take one a day.
Expert verdict: The vast majority of IBS patients have normal intestinal enzyme levels, so it is unlikely that adding enzymes to your diet will help your symptoms. However, they won’t harm you if you do take them, and if you feel better using them, there is no reason to stop taking them — but they won’t improve your digestion.
1/10
BOWELLE IBS TRACKER APP
Free from Apple’s App Store
BOWELLE IBS TRACKER APP
Claim: This is a diary for people who suffer from IBS and other digestive health problems to log what they eat, stress levels, sleep habits, bowel movements, mood and water intake. The idea is that it can help you identify triggers for your symptoms.
Expert verdict: Symptom diaries can be useful for spotting IBS triggers, such as eating certain foods or suffering from stress. However, a lot of the time IBS symptoms can occur quite randomly, and there isn’t always an obvious pattern to them.
Indeed, this is one of the challenges with treating the condition, because it can be very unpredictable.
Logging symptoms can also make some IBS patients become a bit too focused on their illness, which may cause more stress and worsen symptoms for some.
3/10
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