Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) research

Studies have shown that a supplement called Intestaid nourishes these cells and helps reduce many of the symptoms of IBS, including abdominal pain, urgency, bloating and incomplete evacuation.
Recent research has looked at the effects of pro-biotic drinks in IBS. It is thought they restore the balance of bacteria in the bowel thereby reducing the symptoms of wind, pain and bloating. Different drinks have different strains of friendly bacteria so its worth trying different products if the first one doesn’t work
Treatment with guar gum has decreased symptoms in both constipation- and diarrhoea-predominant IBS and decreased abdominal pain. Guar gum is thought to have prebiotic properties – increasing the numbers of ‘good bacteria’ in the intestines. At present there are no specific recommendations and guar gum is not widely available in a form suitable to ‘treat’ IBS symptoms.
Some people with IBS have an increased sensitivity to sorbitol and fructose.  Sorbitol is naturally present in fruit, and is particularly high in peaches, apple juice, pears and plums. Sorbitol is also manufactured and added to soft drinks, ‘diet’ products and ‘diabetic’ foods.
Sufferers frequently cite dairy products as a cause of their symptoms. This is a very difficult subject to investigate and so far, no reliable conclusions have been drawn.
Other things you could try:
Try to do 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Gentle exercises like yoga and Pilates will help with relaxation.
Keep a food and symptom diary to try and pin-point specific foods that are causing your symptoms
If you find a specific food causes you problems try removing this from your diet for 2 weeks to see if your symptoms improve. Don’t exclude whole food groups without the advice of a dietitian.
If you find that lots of foods are causing you problems talk to a dietitian who can trial an exclusion diet. Do not attempt this alone.
Some people with IBS have found that cognitive behaviour therapy, hypnotherapy and acupuncture have helped ease their symptoms. There is no scientific proof that these work for everyone. Speak to your doctor or a qualified Practitioner before embarking on these alternative forms of treatment.

Have you visited the IBS forum at  http://buddypower.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=48&sid=4424ba0a392e828d1421a2d94d644f19
It’s a good place to share tips, ideas and generally talk with other IBS sufferers - you're not alone!