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In his weekly blog, Dr. Briffa had some comments about why the recently "heralded" reports of Rifaximin being beneficial for treating IBS might actually work. But he also suggested a treatment that he has found to be much more effective for treating IBS:
The red emphasis is mine, of course.Another major, but often-overlooked, factor in IBS is food sensitivity. Here, foods have the seeming capacity to irritate the lining of the gut and provoke digestive symptoms. In theory, any food can do this, however I have to say that my experience in practice tells me the number one offender here is wheat. Other gluten containing foods including rye and barley should be viewed with some suspicion here too.
Not everyone has a problem with such foods. Even not everyone with IBS has a problem with such foods. However, I can say, hand on heart, that I have found the removal of these foods from the diet (and perhaps other grains too) is a generally hugely beneficial strategy in individuals with IBS.
http://www.drbriffa.com/2011/01/06/anti ... rk-better/
He also goes on to add:
How about that?Some find it hard to accept that supposedly healthy and wholesome foods such as wheat and other grains can be problematic to gut health. However, let us not forget that grains are a relatively recent addition to the diet and, from a theoretical standpoint at least, are foods we’re not likely to be best adapted to. Specifically, grains are rich in certain proteins (rich in the amino acid proline) that are thought to be hard to digest, and this can lead to gut irritation. Grains are also quite rich in substances called lectins which may not be digested in the gut, and end up triggering inflammation in and beyond the digestive tract.
Tex
Gotta love Dr. Briffa!