Table of Contents:
- Stress and IBS
- Herbs and Botanical Treatment for IBS
- Natural Supplements for IBS
- Probiotics and Prebiotics for IBS
- Acupuncture for IBS
- Exercise for IBS
- Conventional Medical Approaches for IBS
- Evinature Tips and Recommendations
IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a cluster of gastrointestinal symptoms that do not have a known source. Just like there are many reasons why patients may experience IBS symptoms, there are many approaches patients turn to address them. Increasingly, natural remedies and treatment have become more popular in symptom management of IBS. Many of them are cheap, easily available, and easier to implement, not to mention contain less side effects than some medications.
Stress and IBS
Stress and anxiety are not just emotions, but physiological processes. When the brain identifies a potential stressor, it excretes hormones that instruct the body on how to react. Cortisol and Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) are both implicated in IBS. As they are released in the brain, nerves connected to the rest of the body are activated to tell the heart to beat faster, the lungs to absorb more oxygen, and essentially prepare for running away or defending oneself from the threat.
Not every stimulus will cause the release of these specific hormones, nor does one stimulus itself mean that the body will suddenly experience high stress. Rather, these hormones build up over time in the body to create a concentration, and high concentrations of these hormones cause physiological symptoms in the body, including those of IBS.
Excessive production of cortisol, in particular, has been traced to IBS symptoms, as it activates glucocorticoid receptors in the digestive tract, leading to colon spasms and cramping.
Stress is in some ways unavoidable; however, reducing exposure to stress, or implementing ways to decrease stress levels in the body, can address triggered IBS symptoms. Self-care and IBS go hand-in-hand; by addressing the root of the problem such as stress, IBS symptoms can be significantly decreased.
Herbs and Botanical Treatment for IBS
For many IBS patients, herbs and natural remedies can provide relief and help alleviate symptoms in ways that lifestyle changes aren’t enough on their own to address. Here are a few herbs that have been used to successfully treat IBS and IBS symptoms:
Curcumin for IBS
Curcumin, extracted from turmeric root, has a wide range of health benefits due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a polyphenol, which is an organic molecule with many hydroxyl groups on the outside, allowing it to react with factors in the gut to inhibit inflammatory response. It is one of the active ingridients in Evinature’s flagship nutraceutical strategy for IBS patients, the DivertX program.
The ancient remedy is a staple of Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda and has drawn much clinical interest in the last few decades due to its remarkable ability to target symptoms caused by inflammation. A 2022 meta-analysis reviewed 9 quality studies on curcumin for patients with IBS, concluding that curcumin showed a significant reduction in IBS severity, especially abdominal pain and life quality.
Peppermint Oil for IBS
Enteric-coated peppermint capsules and peppermint oil contain several compounds that modulate gut motility, assist in digestive function, and indirectly strengthen the walls of the intestines. Specifically in the case of enteric-coated peppermint capsules, these are gut-directed remedies designed to target problem areas in the GI tract—instead of a wave, this treatment acts more like a gut-directed missile targeting over-stimulated muscle groups.
Peppermint oil has also been shown to decrease bloating and gas in the gut, which can relieve stomach cramps. Peppermint forces the stomach muscles to relax, reducing tension and promoting bowel healing.
Ashwagandha for IBS
Current research on IBS highlights the direct connection between chronic stress and IBS symptoms. This means that attenuating the impact of excessive cortisol on the gut may play an increasingly larger role in IBS management. Ashwagandha, an herbal adaptogen, is a promising solution as it not only reduces cortisol serum levels but also promotes calming GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) activity.
GABA is an important factor for IBS patients, as they present with dysregulated GABAergic systems and lower levels of GABA neurons and receptors. As such, they are less receptive to signals sent from the brain for digestion—which can lead to a disruption of the brain-gut axis assisting in healthy digestion. Ashwagandha upregulates the activity of these pathways, increasing the communication between the brain and the gut to promote digestion and reduce uncomfortable muscular cramping.
Natural Supplements for IBS
It comes as no surprise that people with digestive issues sometimes struggle to receive all of the nutrients and vitamins needed from their diet. Impaired uptake of nutrients is called malabsorption, and can lead to secondary symptoms of IBS, such as fatigue, joint pain, and muscular weakness. Therefore, many IBS patients take nutritional supplements to ensure they receive the requisite materials their body needs to promote restoration and relief.
Iron for IBS
Hemoglobin requires iron, specifically in its Fe3+ form, to bind to oxygen. A lack of iron in the blood means that oxygen is not circulating correctly through the body, leading to fatigue and in severe cases anemia. Iron is an important cofactor for other reactions in the body to break down food, promote wound healing and reduce irritation; therefore making sure you have enough of it is essential for maintaining proper health in IBS patients.
Magnesium for IBS
Magnesium is essential for many enzymes in your body to carry out their various cellular and tissue-related functions. Magnesium also plays a role in intracellular communication and traffic as well, regulating when and where metabolism of nutrients takes place. Since much of IBS is caused by dysregulation of the brain-gut axis, this mineral can help modulate these connections to promote better digestion and breakdown of materials.
Vitamin D3 for IBS
Vitamin D is an important mineral for energy restoration, normally received from food. In addition to its role in promoting metabolism, vitamin D is also essential for regulating immune function, promoting healing, and maintaining muscle strength and integrity. As Vitamin D is only received from food, many people struggle to receive the amount necessary—especially IBS patients. In its most bioavailable form, D3, this vitamin can indirectly promote gut health by supporting the processes necessary to maintain it.
Exhale for IBS
Exhale is Evinature’s signature nutraceutical designed to promote gut health and reduce stress in IBS patients. Containing ashwagandha, chamomile, mimosa bark, and other anti-oxidants, Exhale provides patients with a deep breath of calm amidst the chaos of daily life while supporting gut-wall integrity and digestive function. It can be especially effective when combined with Evinature’s DivertX nutraceuticals.
Probiotics and Prebiotics for IBS
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, while prebiotics are foods that serve as fuel for these microbes. Together, they promote digestive health and may help reduce the frequency of bacterial infection in the gut lining of IBS patients. Research suggests that a well-balanced microbiome can enhance gut barrier function, reduce inflammation, and improve overall gastrointestinal stability. IBS patients interested in probiotics and prebiotics should consult their healthcare provider to determine the best strains and sources for their specific condition.
Acupuncture for IBS
Acupuncture has been practiced for millennia in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is now recognized in the West for its potential health benefits. This technique involves inserting and manipulating thin needles at strategic points on the body. Traditional practitioners believe it balances qi (energy flow), while modern medicine attributes its effects to nerve stimulation, which can influence pain perception and immune function. Though the precise mechanisms remain a source of debate, this method can reduce pain and discomfort, making it a potential complementary therapy for symptom management.
Exercise for IBS
Incorporating consistent, low-impact exercise into your daily regimen assists with digestion and helps regulate gut motility. It is important to note that while there is nothing wrong with moderate to high-impact exercise, listening to your body and understanding what it is capable of makes all the difference in preventing colon spasms. Overdoing exercise and strain is just as likely to dysregulate digestion as lack of exercise; therefore, if your IBS symptoms are flaring or getting more severe, better to take it easy with low-impact exercise such as yoga or stretching until the episode passes. Afterwards, a gradual increase to moderate exercise could help prevent IBS symptoms from worsening while supporting overall health.
Conventional Medical Approaches for IBS
Without treating the underlying cause, conventional medical practitioners must treat IBS symptoms. Antispasmodics reduce spasms of the intestines to prevent cramping and abdominal pain; anti-diarrheal and laxatives can treat diarrhea and constipation, respectively. Anti-convulsant medications such as anti-cholinergics block the binding of acetylcholine to gut receptors, reducing muscular contractions and slowing digestion, which can aid especially in IBS-D.
Evinature Tips and Recommendations
Exercise, maintaining diet, and stress relief methods are all key components in treating IBS. It’s also important to ensure your treatment is tailored to fit your lifestyle and symptoms.
If you’re curious about trying herbal compounds for IBS, take our free online assessment for a tailored program that meets your personal needs
Summer Pitocchelli-Schwartzman
