Irritable bowel syndrome is much more prevalent than inflammatory bowel disease. IBS affects an estimated 15% of the global population. In the USA alone over 50 million people have IBS symptoms. These symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Symptoms can be triggered by certain foods, stress, and changes in hormone levels. While the cause remains a mystery, infection and the community of gut microbes are thought to play a role in IBS. When diet or antibiotics cause your healthy microbiome to shift to an unhealthy state, digestive disorders are more likely to occur.
Depending on the main symptom, IBS patients are classified as either constipation-predominant, diarrhea-predominant or pain-predominant. While some people with severe symptoms may opt to take medication, many can manage their symptoms through dietary changes, stress reduction and other lifestyle changes.