Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Other common names for it are irritable bowel, colon irritabile, irritable colon, nervous bowel syndrome. As a functional bowel condition, IBS only disrupts the bowel’s function and not the organ itself.

Diagnosing Irritable Bowel 

To get diagnosed with irritable bowel, many tests need to be carried out. In most cases, gastroscopies and colonoscopies are carried out, as well as ultrasounds of the stomach. Blood samples are also taken. During the blood tests, a hemogram will be used to examine the liver enzymes, certain salts and kidney levels of the patient more closely. A breath test can also help determine certain intolerances, and a parasite infection can be ruled out with a stool sample.

If everything is in order, the patient is considered to have a clean bill of health, although they will be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, as they have proven to suffer from the typical chronic bowel symptoms.

Other similar illness must also be ruled out before they are given the final diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Then diseases such as recurring infections, food intolerances, allergies or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases or cancers must be ruled out. If no organic cause is found, then they are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome if the patient displays corresponding symptoms for at least 12 weeks in one year.
Patients are usually of course relieved they don’t have bowel cancer, that they don’t have any chronic inflammatory bowel disease or liver disease, and nothing untoward was found in their organs. However, this knowledge doesn’t help the patient with their symptoms.

Of course, the symptoms don’t just disappear when these other serious illnesses are ruled out, they still hamper the patient’s everyday life and their wellbeing. After a myriad of tests, the patient also doesn’t know what they should do next to deal with their illness, which often causes them more anxiety.

It can be assumed that in most countries, some 5-11% of the population suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men. 

Symptoms of IBS

Symptoms include:

• recurring flatulence with or without bloating,
• constipation and/or diarrhea,
• stomach cramps,
• feelings of fullness and belching,
• heartburn,
• nausea

The most common symptom among those affected is unexplained stomach pains. This can lead to cramps and pulling or piercing pains throughout the abdominal area. Many patients also experience pressure in the upper or lower abdomen.

There are three different types of irritable bowel syndrome: diarrhea IBS, constipation IBS and IBS with alternating diarrhea and constipation.

We at Frusano have some tips for you to curb your symptoms in some circumstances.

The Right Solution for your Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There is no single cause for IBS. It has been proven that sensitivity to certain foodstuffs can cause several symptoms of IBS. True food allergies are rare, but irritable bowel patients usually suffer from at least one food intolerance.

Even fructose intolerance is quite common in this case, and avoiding fructose often improves symptoms. Elimination diets have even proven to mitigate symptoms.

Choosing your diet is always individual, and it is also important to choose appropriate food products when you have IBS. Here, it is useful to know about fructose malabsorption, FODMAP dieting and FODMAP foods.

Frusano will explain the costs and give diet advice on how to get a new quality of life with your food choices and feel good in your own skin.

Frusano Products

Frusano was founded in 2006 with the intention to help people who suffer from fructose intolerances. The CEO Ulf Hermann was diagnosed with fructose malabsorption in February 2005.

After his diagnosis, he tried to find fructose-free foods and was shocked to find out that there was hardly any available! Since there didn’t appear to be any producers of fructose-free food, he decided to take matters into his own hands and founded the company Frusano. The next step was to develop his products.

From the very beginning, Frusano has been producing suitable food, much longer than the term low-FODMAP has existed. Frusano’s products are far below low-FODMAP’s standards with regard to their sugar levels and contents.
Find out more about the causes and diet tips to ease your IBS with Frusano!