# irritable bowel syndrome — is not in your head



## Patman75 (Mar 9, 2008)

FYI..http://scienceblog.com/37670/proof-that-a-gut-wrenching-complaint-irritable-bowel-syndrome-is-not-in-your-head/


> Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected - an estimated ten percent or more of the population. And what irritates many of them even more is that they often are labeled as hypochondriacs, since physical causes for irritable bowel syndrome have never been identified. Now, biologists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have shed new light on the matter: They have discovered mini-inflammations in the mucosa of the gut, which upset the sensitive balance of the bowel and are accompanied by sensitization of the enteric nervous system. Flatulence, constipation and diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can turn digestion into a nightmare. Frequent visits to the bathroom are often accompanied by sleep disturbances, headaches, and backaches. In Germany alone, some seven million people are affected by the disorder - and by the fact that their irritable bowel syndrome is often deemed psychosomatic. This is because the organic trigger of the disease has never been discovered, and consequently the various therapeutic interventions are disappointing for both the patients and their doctors. That may soon change, however, because now, for the first time, biologists in Munich have nailed down hidden physical causes of this bowel disorder.Professor Michael Schemann's research team at the TUM Department for Human Biology has managed to demonstrate that micro-inflammations of the mucosa cause sensitization of the enteric nervous system, thereby causing irritable bowel syndrome. Using ultrafast optical measuring methods, the researchers were able to demonstrate that mediators from mast cells and enterochromaffin cells directly activate the nerve cells in the bowel. This hypersensitivity of the enteric nervous system upsets communication between the gut's mucosa and its nervous system, as project leader Prof. Schemann explains: "The irritated mucosa releases increased amounts of neuroactive substances such as serotonin, histamine and protease. This cocktail produced by the body could be the real cause of the unpleasant IBS complaints."The TUM researchers in human biology are blazing a trail as they follow this lead. Their current focus is to what extent nerve sensitization correlates with the severity of symptoms. Working with colleagues from Amsterdam, they have already substantiated the clinical relevance of their results: Irritable bowel symptoms improved after treatment with an antihistamine known for its immune-stabilizing effect in the treatment of allergic reactions such as hay fever. Thanks to funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG), the scientists are now investigating whether the improved symptoms are accompanied by a normalization of nerve activity. Successful identification of the active components could enable the development of effective drugs to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Even now, though, the TUM team have made life easier for many IBS patients, in that they have shown that the chronic disorder does have physical causes and is not merely "in their heads."


http://www.wddty.com/ibs-cause-finally-identified-it-s-in-the-gut-not-the-mind.htmlhttp://gut.bmj.com/content/59/9/1213.abstract


> The mast cell stabiliser ketotifen decreases visceral hypersensitivity and improves intestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome Tamira K Klooker1, Breg Braak1, Karin E Koopman1, Olaf Welting1, Mira M Wouters2, Sicco van der Heide3, Michael Schemann4, Stephan C Bischoff5, Rene M van den Wijngaard1, Guy E Boeckxstaens1,2+ Author Affiliations1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 3Laboratory of Allergy and Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Centre, Groningen, The Netherlands 4Department of Human Biology, TU Munich, Freising, Germany 5Department of Nutritional Medicine and Immunology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany Correspondence to Professor Dr G E Boeckxstaens, Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Leuven, Catholic University of Leuven, Herestraat 45, Leuven 3000, Belgium; [email protected] TKK participated in the study concept and design; acquisition of data; analysis and interpretation of data; drafting of the manuscript; statistical analysis; and analysis, interpretation and writing of the article. BB, KEK, OW and SvdH participated in the acquisition of data. MMW participated in the analyses of data and reading of the manuscript. MS and SCB participated in the technical and material support. RMvdW participated in the interpretation of the data. GEB participated in the study concept and design; study supervision; interpretation of data; and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. Revised 20 May 2010 Accepted 21 May 2010 Published Online First 21 July 2010 AbstractBackground Mast cell activation is thought to be involved in visceral hypersensitivity, one of the main characteristics of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A study was therefore undertaken to investigate the effect of the mast cell stabiliser ketotifen on rectal sensitivity and symptoms in patients with IBS. Methods 60 patients with IBS underwent a barostat study to assess rectal sensitivity before and after 8 weeks of treatment. After the initial barostat, patients were randomised to receive ketotifen or placebo. IBS symptoms and health-related quality of life were scored. In addition, mast cells were quantified and spontaneous release of tryptase and histamine was determined in rectal biopsies and compared with biopsies from 22 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Results Ketotifen but not placebo increased the threshold for discomfort in patients with IBS with visceral hypersensitivity. This effect was not observed in normosensitive patients with IBS. Ketotifen significantly decreased abdominal pain and other IBS symptoms and improved quality of life. The number of mast cells in rectal biopsies and spontaneous release of tryptase were lower in patients with IBS than in healthy volunteers. Spontaneous release of histamine was mostly undetectable but was slightly increased in patients with IBS compared with healthy volunteers. Histamine and tryptase release were not altered by ketotifen. Conclusions This study shows that ketotifen increases the threshold for discomfort in patients with IBS with visceral hypersensitivity, reduces IBS symptoms and improves health-related quality of life. Whether this effect is secondary to the mast cell stabilising properties of ketotifen or H1 receptor antagonism remains to be further investigated. Trial Registration Number NTR39, ISRCTN22504486.


http://www.naturalnews.com/029980_IBS_causes.html


> Doctors who have been telling IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) patients that it's all in their mind will have to rethink that approach after scientists finally discovered the problem really does exist. Researchers at Munich's Technische University have located the cause of IBS and it is in the gut, not the mind. Specifically, it is the result of tiny inflammations in the mucosa of the gut, which upset the sensitive balance of the bowel.Professor Michael Schemann's research team at the TUM Department for Human Biology demonstrated that micro-inflammations of the mucosa cause sensitization of the enteric nervous system, which in turn cause irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers used ultrafast optical measuring methods to demonstrate that mediators from mast cells and enterochromaffin cells directly activate the nerve cells in the bowel.The hypersensitivity of the enteric nervous system upsets communication between the gut's mucosa and its nervous system. Project leader Professor Schemann explained: "The irritated mucosa releases increased amounts of neuroactive substances such as serotonin, histamine and protease. This cocktail produced by the body could be the real cause of the unpleasant IBS complaints."The scientists are the first to identify IBS's cause; up to now, many doctors have dismissed their IBS patients as merely being hypochondriacs. Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected - an estimated ten percent or more of the population.


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## Dogsfoot (Oct 4, 2010)

Patman75 said:


> FYI..http://scienceblog.com/37670/proof-that-a-gut-wrenching-complaint-irritable-bowel-syndrome-is-not-in-your-head/http://www.wddty.com/ibs-cause-finally-identified-it-s-in-the-gut-not-the-mind.htmlhttp://gut.bmj.com/content/59/9/1213.abstracthttp://www.naturalnews.com/029980_IBS_causes.html


Looks positive,I cant get that drug here in Australia though, You can only get it as eye drops, did they mention a substitute?


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## MIRMAK (Sep 27, 2009)

Dogsfoot said:


> Looks positive,I cant get that drug here in Australia though, You can only get it as eye drops, did they mention a substitute?


I got it by name Zaditen in the Netherlands. I think I read in another post that the same name (Zaditen) is used in USA.


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## Dogsfoot (Oct 4, 2010)

Did you send away for it? Zaditen is here in AU but only as eye drops, can't drink them







.... Or can you hmmm...


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## MIRMAK (Sep 27, 2009)

Dogsfoot said:


> Did you send away for it? Zaditen is here in AU but only as eye drops, can't drink them
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't understand what do you mean.It was prescribed by specialist to me (when I asked her) and it is not eye drops, I'm taking tablets.


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## Dogsfoot (Oct 4, 2010)

Zaditen is an anti histamine for allergic conjunctivitis, in Australia its only available as an eye drop solution not as an oral tablet...


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## Guest (May 21, 2011)

Patman75 said:


> FYI..http://scienceblog.com/37670/proof-that-a-gut-wrenching-complaint-irritable-bowel-syndrome-is-not-in-your-head/http://www.wddty.com/ibs-cause-finally-identified-it-s-in-the-gut-not-the-mind.htmlhttp://gut.bmj.com/content/59/9/1213.abstracthttp://www.naturalnews.com/029980_IBS_causes.html


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## Guest (May 21, 2011)

IBS has been suspected to have connections with histamine (thus inflammantion), apart from anti-histamine studies, now one doctor claims antihistamine antibodies can cure. Check this out:http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/a-new-treatment-method-for-pain-and-inflammatory-diseases-4482298.html


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## Tracy54a (Apr 23, 2011)

Dogsfoot said:


> Looks positive,I cant get that drug here in Australia though, You can only get it as eye drops, did they mention a substitute?


Hi fellow Aussie. Did you have any luck getting a mast-cell stabiliser in Australia for your IBS?


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## Nath (Jan 5, 1999)

Tracy54a said:


> Hi fellow Aussie. Did you have any luck getting a mast-cell stabiliser in Australia for your IBS?


alldaychemist ship ketotifen internationally.


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