The simple answer to this question is that fish oil may be able to help. In fact fish oil can help reduce and alleviate the symptoms of many different health problems ranging from heart disease to arthritis, and from depression and other mental health problems to inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The reason for this is the anti inflammatory and other properties of the essential omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil. First though, what is irritable bowel syndrome and what might fish oil do to help? Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional disorder of the digestive system affecting around twenty percent of the population which is characterised by bloating, pain and discomfort a well as constipation or diarrhoea, or a combination of both. No one knows what causes it and the treatment consist of finding ways to relieve the symptoms which may be in the form of anti spasmodic drugs, pain killers, laxatives or anti diarrhoea medication and sometimes a low dose of an anti depressant drug. There is no test to diagnose IBS so a diagnosis is usually made by assessing the symptoms and after all other potential causes of the symptoms have been eliminated. This is why it is important to seek the advice of your doctor if you think you have IBS as there can be other potentially more serious causes. Now although there isn't a single identifiable cause of IBS, certain triggers have been identified. - Stress - Use of antibiotics - Infection - Certain foods and drinks Around half of those diagnosed with IBS can identify a stressful period or event in their lives when the symptoms started. Others say that the onset of their symptoms began after a gut infection such as gastroenteritis and a course of antibiotics. A few can relate their symptoms to intolerance for a certain food or drink and if this is the case then simply avoiding that foodstuff can help solve the problem. What is interesting to note is than in many IBS sufferers there appears to be an increased sensitivity to pain and changes going on in the gut. We know there is a direct link between the brain and the gut. For example, think of a time when you were particularly nervous or frightened or even excited, there is often a sensation of fluttering in the stomach. Basically people suffering from IBS need to avoid stress, take plenty of exercise, cut out any trigger foods and deal with the symptoms as they arise. So let's look at why Omega 3 fish oil might help. What are the properties of Omega 3? Omega 3 essential fatty acids are known to have powerful anti inflammatory properties so can help reduce any inflammation in the body including the gut. The essential omega 3 fatty acid known as eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA is also known to be necessary for proper brain function which is why there have been so many studies conducted into the effect of EPA on depression, the results of which has shown that Fish oil can be helpful in treating depression, helping people cope with stress and generally promoting a feeling of well being. As there is an inflammatory aspect to IBS as well as a link between the brain and the gut, taking a daily dose of fish oil may help to reduce the symptoms of IBS by alleviating inflammation, reducing your stress levels and enhancing brain function. However, if your main symptom is diarrhoea then it's possible that fish oil could make it worse if you take too high a dose. The best thing is to seek advice from your doctor first.
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