Acidophilus and IBS

Acidophilus and IBS

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IBS is an increasingly common digestive disorder that involves the last part of the digestive and elimination
process - bowel movements. It can result in constant constipation, constant diarrhea, of alternating bouts
with both (yeah, no fun!).

Acidophilus, an organism that is found naturally in some yogurts, is a beneficial bacteria that helps your
digestive tract move along smoothly, no pun intended, and ensure proper, timely and comfortable
elimination of waste as the last step of food processing in your digestive tract.

IBS acidophilus treatment is just part of the equation, although acidophilus is one of the most important
steps, and often unfortunately ignored, in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome since once we get the
regular bowel movements through some sort of natural laxative, we tend to forget the reason that the
irregularity happened in the first place.

Not only that, but acidophilus helps IBS because it helps to tone and cleanse the digestive tract, make your
bowel movements easier, more complete and more frequent, so that you don’t have the uncomfortable
feeling of always have to go to the bathroom, of being incompletely emptied out when you have to go, and
also of that gassy, bloated feeling. Acidophilus can be especially helpful for that part of IBS!

Acidophilus lactobacillus (that’s quite a mouth full), is the full name for the bacterium that is found in dairy
foods, particularly yogurt, and several good supplements that give you the same benefit in capsule form for
regular, healthy and comfortable bowels. What is it exactly? Well, if you like yogurt and you want to get it by
eating yogurt instead of taking a supplement, look for yogurts that say “active cultures”, that means the
yogurt has this beneficial, colon-protecting bacterium in it.

It is a bacteria, of course, and it is what we call a “healthy flora” which shares space in the intestines and
digestive tract with other gas causing, digestive unfriendly bacteria which hinder the digestion process and
are even thought by some in alternative medicine to be the cause behind health problems and disease.

It is also called a probiotic, which is just another word for a digestive friendly organism that is good for the
gut, aiding in digestion and the elimination process, and helping you to stay regular, comfortable, and
ultimately, healthy. Those with IBS should definitely take a supplement which contains probiotics or
acidophilus (one in the same), just look for either one on the label.

By taking these or by making sure you get probiotic containing foods in your diet every single day, you will
help your digestive system to process food smoothly and comfortably from beginning to end. After you’re on
them for a while, you should notice a reduction in gas and bloating, and should definitely have more
regularity and a better sense of “fully eliminating” when you go to the bathroom.

What’s one of the things that can throw your probiotic balance off in your digestive tract and actually make
IBS worse, making acidophilus all that more important an addition to your diet? Well, believe it or not, it’s
antibiotics. Antibiotics are one of the worst things for your healthy balance of flora in the intestine, colon
and stomach, and they can really make things difficult. So supplementation of acidophilus is all that much
more important if you happen to be taking antibiotics.

There are even theories that when your probiotic balance is off in your digestive tract, it can fundamentally
alter your immune system, making you more susceptible to disease and illness. I guess that takes the
saying that “death begins in the colon” to a whole new level, huh?

Now, I can’t say whether that is true or not, but it’s interesting that there is even speculation out there about
that, and I think it makes it an even more compelling case for taking acidophilus supplements, whether you
have IBS or not, but especially taking acidophilus if you do happen to have IBS.

Could there be side effects to acidophilus for IBS? Well, at first, since there is an adjustment period, and
sort of an internal struggle going on, you may experience increased gas and bloating, but ultimately this
should clear up and you should be relieved from that in the future, with it improving from your previous
“norm” noticeably. There may be a slight discomfort accompanying it at first as well, as it works it’s way
into your system and begins to work it’s magic and restore the health of your intestines and ultimately your
colon.