Irritable bowel syndrome, gut microbiota and probiotics

Beom Jae Lee, Young Tae Bak

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

164 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex disorder characterized by abdominal symptoms including chronic abdominal pain or discomfort and altered bowel habits. The etiology of IBS is multifactorial, as abnormal gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, disturbed neural function of the brain-gut axis and an abnormal autonomic nervous system are all implicated in disease progression. Based on recent experimental and clinical studies, it has been suggested that additional etiological factors including low-grade inflammation, altered gut microbiota and alteration in the gut immune system play important roles in the pathogenesis of IBS. Therefore, therapeutic restoration of altered intestinal microbiota may be an ideal treatment for IBS. Probiotics are live organisms that are believed to cause no harm and result in health benefits for the host. Clinical efficacy of probiotics has been shown in the treatment or prevention of some gastrointestinal inflammation-associated disorders including traveler's diarrhea, antibiotics-associated diarrhea, pouchitis of the restorative ileal pouch and necrotizing enterocolitis. The molecular mechanisms, as cause of IBS pathogenesis, affected by altered gut microbiota and gut inflammation-immunity are reviewed. The effect of probiotics on the gut inflammation-immune systems and the results from clinical trials of probiotics for the treatment of IBS are also summarized.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)252-266
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Jul
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Immunity
  • Inflammation
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Microbiota
  • Probiotics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Gastroenterology

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