A new fiber supplement could help millions suffering from irritable bowel syndrome

· ScienceDaily
Source:Edith Cowan University
Summary:Scientists have developed a promising new fiber supplement that improves gut health in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) without worsening bloating, pain, or other digestive symptoms. The specially designed blend also improved gut-related anxiety and produced surprisingly rapid changes in gut bacteria, potentially offering a new way to manage IBS.
A breakthrough fiber blend could help millions with IBS rebuild healthier gut bacteria without making their painful digestive symptoms worse. Credit: Shutterstock

A specially designed fiber supplement may offer a promising new way to improve gut health for millions of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) have developed and tested a fiber combination that supports beneficial gut bacteria without making common digestive symptoms worse.

The research team at ECU's Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute (NHIRI) found that the supplement, called ur gut®, improved gut health in people with IBS without increasing abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.

IBS affects people around the world, including nearly 11 percent of Australians. Although its exact cause remains unclear, stress, infections, and certain medications may contribute to the condition. Symptoms can also become worse because of particular foods, inadequate sleep, psychological stress, hormonal changes, and lifestyle factors.

Why Common IBS Diets Can Affect Gut Health

People with IBS are frequently advised to follow a low-FODMAP diet, which limits certain carbohydrates that are easily fermented by gut bacteria. Although this approach can help control uncomfortable symptoms, restricting these foods may also have unintended consequences for the gut microbiome.

"For years we've known that a diet low in Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monesaccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs) can relieve symptoms, but they can also reduce beneficial gut bacteria and negatively impact fiber intake over time," lead author Dr. Tina Yan said.

"We wanted to find a way to build better gut health while following a low-FODMAP diet."

The new findings suggest that a carefully formulated fiber supplement could help address this problem, allowing people with IBS to support a healthier gut microbiome while continuing to manage their symptoms through dietary changes.

How the New Fiber Blend Works

The researchers attribute the supplement's promising effects to its combination of two ingredients: resistant starch and psyllium husk.

Psyllium appears to slow the breakdown of resistant starch by gut bacteria, allowing more of it to reach deeper sections of the colon before fermentation occurs. This process may increase the production of beneficial compounds that support intestinal health.

Ordinarily, fermentable fiber can be challenging for people with IBS because bacterial fermentation can produce excess gas and increase digestive discomfort. The new formulation appears to offer a way to obtain the benefits of fermentation without aggravating these symptoms.

"Traditionally, fermentable fibers can be difficult for people with IBS because they can increase gas production and discomfort," Dr. Yan said.

"What's exciting about this study is that participants maintained stable symptoms while showing meaningful improvements in their gut microbiota as well as in their gut-related anxiety."

Significant Changes in Gut Bacteria and Anxiety

The researchers observed substantial shifts in the composition of participants' gut bacteria during the intervention. These changes were particularly notable because they occurred over a relatively short period.

"Changes of this magnitude are rarely seen with such a short intervention," ur gut® co-creator Professor Amanda Devine said.

"The study demonstrated that our targeted dietary fiber blend positively reshaped the gut microbiome in people with IBS following a low-FODMAP diet, supporting beneficial bacteria linked to gut and mental health. This was great to see."

Alongside improvements in gut bacteria, participants also experienced reductions in gut-related anxiety. These findings suggest that the supplement's potential benefits may extend beyond changes in the digestive system, although further research will be needed to establish its broader effects.

A New Approach to Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The researchers believe their findings could help shift IBS care toward improving the underlying health of the gut rather than focusing exclusively on avoiding foods that cause discomfort.

"For many people with IBS, success has traditionally meant simply avoiding certain foods," ur gut® co-creator Associate Professor Claus Christophersen said.

"Our findings suggest we may also be able to actively rebuild gut health and the microbiome while not making IBS symptoms worse. That's an important step forward."

By demonstrating that beneficial gut bacteria can be supported without increasing IBS symptoms, the study points toward new dietary strategies that could complement existing treatments.

The ur gut® supplement is already available for purchase. The research team has also created a cookbook featuring recipes designed to help people incorporate the supplement into a healthy diet.

The study, "Dietary fibre blend improves gut health in patients with irritable bowel syndrome following a low FODMAP diet: a randomised, double-blind control trial," was published online in the European Journal of Nutrition.

Related Terms

AnxietyAnxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease that arises in response to stress or perceived threats. It is a normal and often helpful emotional response that can prepare the body to deal with challenges or danger. However, when anxiety becomes persistent, excessive, or disproportionate to the situation, it may interfere with daily functioning and be classified as an anxiety disorder.Irritable bowel syndromeIn medicine (gastroenterology), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or spastic colon is functional bowel disorders characterized by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits that is not associated with any abnormalities seen on routine clinical testing.Mental illnessMental disorder or mental illness are terms used to refer psychological pattern that occurs in an individual and is usually associated with distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture. The recognition and understanding of mental disorders has changed over time. Categories of diagnoses may include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, personality disorders, and many other categories. In many cases there is no single accepted or consistent cause of mental disorders, although they are widely understood in terms of a diathesis-stress model and biopsychosocial model. Mental disorders have been found to be common, with over a third of people in most countries reporting sufficient criteria at some point in their life.ColostrumColostrum (also known as beestings or first milk) is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands in late pregnancy and the few days after giving birth. Human and bovine colostrums are thick, sticky and yellowish. In humans, it has high concentrations of nutrients and antibodies, but it is small in quantity. Colostrum is high in carbohydrates, high in protein, high in antibodies, and low in fat (as human newborns may find fat difficult to digest). Newborns have very small digestive systems, and colostrum delivers its nutrients in a very concentrated low-volume form. It has a mild laxative effect, encouraging the passing of the baby's first stool, which is called meconium. This clears excess bilirubin, a waste product of dead red blood cells which is produced in large quantities at birth due to blood volume reduction, from the infant's body and helps prevent jaundice. Colostrum contains large numbers of antibodies called "secretory immunoglobulin" (IgA) that help protect the mucous membranes in the throat, lungs…ConstipationConstipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction.StomachIn anatomy, the stomach is an organ in the gastrointestinal tract used to digest food. In general, the stomach's primary function is not the absorption of nutrients from digested food; this task is usually performed by the intestine. In most animals, the main job of the stomach is to break down large food molecules into smaller ones, so that they can be absorbed into the blood more easily. Latin names for the stomach include Ventriculus and Gaster; many medical terms related to the stomach start in "gastro-" or "gastric".