Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
IBS is characterized by a group of symptoms in which abdominal pain or discomfort such as flatulence and bloating are associated with a change in bowel pattern, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and/or constipation.
In an assessment of 443 IBS referrals at UCLA's CURE Digestive Diseases Research Center, 66% of IBS patients reported gas as a symptom, and 60% reported bloating-type symptoms as "the most bothersome"68.
VSL#3® in the Dietary Management of Bloating
In an 8-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 25 diarrhea-predominant IBS patients VSL#3® was helpful in the dietary management of IBS with bloating. (mean change:-13.7 points; 95%CI -25, -2; P=.05)
VSL#3® in the Dietary Management of Flatulence (gas)
In a second 8-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 48 IBS patients VSL#3® was helpful in the dietary management of IBS with flatulence (VAS score at 8 weeks: 29.7 vs 39.5, P=0.01).
46% of VSL#3® patients reported satisfactory relief of bloating for 4 weeks on study vs 33% in the placebo group (P=.27)
Positive trends noted
Additional positive trends were noted in randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled 2003 trial. Kim et al. reported a reduction in the urgency in diarrhea-predominant IBS patients involved in the trial. The fecal urgency score showed a trend toward reduction in the VSL#3® group (mean change: -8 points; 95%CI -15, -2; P=.056).
