Resource Roundup: A Functional Medicine Approach to Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Photo Cred: Panchenko Vladimir/Shutterstock

By Avery St. Onge

According to Clevland Clinic, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is categorized as a constellation of symptoms affecting the digestive system, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and stomach pain. Generally thought to be a manageable and non-threatening condition, IBS can be extremely uncomfortable, inconvenient, and even debilitating for some patients.

Experts estimate that about 10 to 15 percent of the United States Population suffers from IBS, yet the mechanisms of the condition largely remain a mystery. And as is the case with most health issues, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to IBS. However, several integrative interventions have emerged as first-line treatments, as pharmaceuticals have not shown much success.

In this article, we’ve rounded up some of our top resources on approaching IBS with integrative medicine. Read more to learn how to treat IBS with supplements, dietary changes, vagus nerve stimulation, and more.

Q&A: Long-Term Integrative Treatment Protocols for IBS

Long thought to originate in the brain, historically, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been disregarded by conventional medicine and treated as a symptom of neurosis. However, according to Robert Rountree, MD, while the brain plays a role in the condition, IBS is more likely a result of abnormalities in the gut. 

“If the emphasis is on the brain, then the emphasis in treatment is going to be towards teaching the person to calm down, doing mindfulness meditation, and maybe certain kinds of exercises,” explained Dr. Rountree. “All that’s fine, but the implication is, if you just meditate enough, then maybe your gut is going to get better. But if the problem really originates in the gut, then all the meditation in the world isn’t going to help.”

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Dietary Changes Are More Effective at Treating IBS Symptoms Than a Pharmaceutical Approach

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder that typically responds well to an integrative approach, as illustrated by a study published earlier this year, which featured patients from the University of Kansas Medical Center Integrative Medicine Clinic.

Another recently published study confirmed that dietary treatment is more effective than medications presently used to treat IBS symptoms. That single-center, single-blind, randomized, controlled four-week trial featured patients with moderate-to-severe IBS and compared a diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) to pharmaceutical interventions based on the predominant symptom(s). The low FODMAP diet was more effective at reducing symptom severity than medications.

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Nutritional Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) seems to be a catch-all these days. There is no definitive testing available, so clients experiencing any gastrointestinal symptoms with no organic cause are often diagnosed with IBS.

Symptoms can range from mild to debilitating and are often associated with other gastrointestinal disorders, making it difficult to know if IBS symptoms are solely related to IBS or a consequence of another other GI-related disorder. There is no specific conventional treatment for IBS, so clients often find themselves rearranging their lives to accommodate the illness and many report a significant reduction in quality of life. 

IBS affects up to 11 percent of the world population, and females are more likely to suffer from this disease. IBS can be categorized into sporadic, meaning there have been symptoms for a significant period of time with no associated cause, or post-infectious, meaning symptoms developed after an episode of gastroenteritis.  

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Supplements for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The use of nutraceutical supplements by patients with gastrointestinal disorders is widespread and growing. Most studies cite that 50% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease use nutraceutical supplements. There is an abundance of clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of nutraceutical supplements for IBD.  Probiotics, prebiotics, butyric acid enemas, Curcuma longa, Boswellia serrata and fish oils have been shown to be superior to placebo and in some cases equal to standard medical therapy in randomized trials. Thus, the nutraceutical supplements that have been shown to have established efficacy for inflammatory bowel disease are reviewed.

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Simple and Effective Strategies to Stimulate the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is the communication pathway between the brain and the immune system, said Navaz Habib, DC, AFMCP, AcuP, author of Activate Your Vagus Nerve. And when the immune system becomes triggered or activated, we need a regulatory force.

“Every time there’s an accelerator being pushed by some sort of stressor or trigger, we need the brakes to be pushed, and the brake signal comes from the vagus nerve,” explained Dr. Habib, who is host of The Health Upgrade Podcast.

Dr. Habib says balancing the body’s “accelerator” and “brakes” is crucial, especially in managing inflammatory conditions. For instance, he explained that conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) often result from a lack of signals that keep the gut moving effectively and provide anti-inflammatory cues to the immune system. This deficiency can lead to leaky gut syndrome or dysbiosis, where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial ones, exacerbating inflammation and discomfort.

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