GASTROLIFE WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN AN ARTICLE by RSVPLive magazine.
Bloating, cramps, and abdominal pain is the triad of distress that encapsulates the plight of women grappling with IBS.
The uncertainty of each meal’s impact, whether it will harmonise with your body or cascade into a whirlpool of unease, compounds the challenge.
IBS transcends mere physical symptoms, unfurling into an emotional rollercoaster that casts its shadow over every facet of daily existence.
To exacerbate matters, the internal workings of your gut even exhibit a gender bias.
Speaking to RSVP Live Melissa Dooley, gastrointestinal physiology said: “First, IBS affects more women than men. Second, symptoms of IBS in women are more severe than in men.”
She added: “The reason is hormonal imbalances of the menstrual cycle. It’s as if your body is adding fuel to the fire, worsening IBS symptoms during certain stages of your menstrual cycle.”
Melissa said: “Mental stress, anxiety, certain foods, and hormonal changes (as in menstruation) are some known triggers for IBS symptoms.”
“Alcohol, some medicines, infections, and sudden change of routine(traveling) can also trigger IBS symptoms.”
She continued: “Effects of IBS triggers vary from person to person. For example, what may flare up IBS symptoms in one woman may resolve IBS symptoms in others (e.g. menstruation).”
Melissa says the intricate connection between psychological well-being and gastrointestinal health becomes apparent in the context of stress: “Stress and anxiety affect your nerves and make your digestive system overactive. So, IBS people suffer the worst abdominal pain when they are stressed.”
Discussing the pivotal role of diet in managing IBS symptoms, Melissa emphasises that an individualised approach is essential: “Your diet has a significant role in controlling (or worsening) your IBS symptoms. There’s no fixed list of foods every individual with IBS needs to avoid or consume. Because, a food that triggers IBS symptoms in one woman may not be disturbing at all in others.”
However, certain foods have garnered notoriety for inducing bloating in a majority of women with IBS she said: ” For example, high FODMAP foods may not be recommended for people with IBS. FODMAP foods include dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), wheat products (bread, cereals, crackers), beans, lentils, and some vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage).”
She continued: “Basically, FODMAP foods are rich in carbohydrates which feed your gut bacteria.”
“Those bacteria then produce large amounts of hydrogen and other gasses, causing bloating and abdominal pain.”
Melissa elucidates the connection between hormonal imbalances and IBS symptoms, revealing that numerous women witness their IBS symptoms ebb and flow in tandem with their menstrual cycles giving a general overview of how different stages of the menstrual cycle can affect your IBS symptoms:
Follicular phase
Many women report that their IBS symptoms (bloating, abdominal pain) relive during the follicular phase
(day 1 to 14) of their cycle. That may be attributed to the high amount of oestrogen during this phase.
Ovulation phase
Around day 14, the egg is released from the ovary. Many women notice a little worsening of their IBS
symptoms, esp. bloating and discomfort, during this time. It is attributed to the hormonal shifts associated with ovulation.
Luteal phase
It begins after ovulation and lasts until day 28 of your menstrual cycle. Huge amounts of oestrogen and progesterone are released into blood.
Many women report flare of IBS symptoms during this phase including abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhoea), during this phase. That’s because large amounts of progesterone in blood slow gut motility.
Melissa’s advice on medicines and supplements for managing IBS symptoms in women said that while a permanent cure for IBS doesn’t exist, symptoms can be effectively controlled through a combination of medication, supplements, and lifestyle adjustments.
However, the effectiveness of these interventions varies for each individual highlighting the importance of consulting a doctor before proceeding.
