Science Questions

I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). If I eat probiotics, it seems to prevent the gurgling symptoms. I read that a combination of cider, vinegar and honey can help ? Marianne

IBS sufferers can have varying problems. I think there is a lot of mileage in probiotics for easing these conditions. Many people say it is purely stress, but I don't agree. It is true that stress can make the gut misbehave, but an unwell gut can make you stressed, so they are intimately connected. In our lab we want to see how we can use diet to reset the gut flora and ha included work on the yeast Candida. IBS is serious and people do need help. Cider and vinegar will be absorbed in the upper gut and so don't get through to where it is needed in the large intestine. However, some things in honey are resistant to digestion and can get through. This can change gut flow. Therefore, honey may be of help.

January 2005