- A healthy lifestyle, especially smoking cessation, high activity levels, and 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night may reduce the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Researchers point out that as a person's number of healthy activities increases, their risk of developing IBS decreases.
- Although their study focused on the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome, they say the same concepts may apply to people who already have irritable bowel syndrome.
Healthy lifestyle choices such as smoking cessation, high levels of activity, and getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night are strongly associated with a reduced risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to a study published today in the journal are doing intestines.
For the study, researchers looked at medical and dietary information for 64,268 people from UK Biobank, with an average age of 55, who completed at least two 24-hour dietary recalls.
Scientists focused on five healthy behaviors:
Researchers analyzed participants' engagement with these five behaviors and found that:
- 7,604 people (almost 12%) reported not engaging in any of the five healthy behaviors.
- 20,662 participants (32%) reported engaging in either behavior.
- 21,904 people (34%) reported two healthy behaviors.
- 14,101 people (approximately 22%) reported three to five behaviors.
Scientists reported that the greater the number of behaviors participants performed, the lower their risk of developing IBS.
“In this study, we evaluated five independent risk factors for the development of irritable bowel syndrome, but we still do not have an exact etiology or effective treatment,” said Dr. said Dr. James Lee, an internist who is not involved in irritable bowel syndrome. the study. “[The] The study was well designed and the statistical analyzes were thorough. This includes smoking, drinking, sleep quality, [and] Proper diet as well as exercise are important to prevent the development of IBS symptoms. [United Kingdom]”
“Indeed, there was compelling evidence in prospective studies that following optimal habits among three to five of these risk factors can reduce the incidence of IBS by up to 42 percent,” Lee said. Ta Today's medical news. “Although this study was not designed to identify causes or treatments for IBS, the lifestyle changes described may help prevent the development of IBS.”
“Some of the striking aspects of this study are that of the 64,268 participants, only 961 (1.5 percent) developed IBS,” Lee noted. “These patients did not have IBS symptoms at baseline and tended to be older. Given that up to 10 percent of the general population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, there may be selection bias. , and perhaps these people have a different mechanism for irritable bowel syndrome than the general population. This could mean that some restrictions are needed on who these principles can be applied to. There is a gender.”
Researchers reported that one of five healthy lifestyle behaviors reduced risk by 21%, two reduced risk by 36%, and three to five reduced risk by 42%. doing.
The three most important healthy behaviors were not smoking, high levels of physical activity, and getting enough sleep.
“In my practice, it's clear that people who come to me with irritable bowel syndrome usually (but not always) have problems with eating, sleeping, anxiety, or a generally irregular lifestyle.” said Dr. Aditya Sreenivasan, a gastroenterologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. New York State was not involved in this study. “It's helpful to look at real data to support this.”
“When I'm diagnosed with IBS, the first thing I try to address are lifestyle habits that may be causing the symptoms, or at least significantly worsening them,” Sreenivasan said. Today's medical news. “Thus, although this study was about the development of IBS rather than its treatment, I think it is reasonable to take these conclusions and apply them to the treatment of IBS.”
“I usually focus on diet (often referring to nutritionists), but sometimes exercise if constipation is part of the problem,” he added. “I often put IBS in the context of their overall health, but I don't routinely ask specifically about sleep, for example. Maybe from now on I'll start doing more of that.” It will happen.”
Researchers note that most studies have focused on lifestyle factors to reduce IBS symptoms. In the current research, scientists decided to focus on preventing the development of the disease.
Some studies, including one published in 2022, report that stress plays a major role in the development of irritable bowel syndrome.
The new study does not name stress management as one of the actions that can lower this risk.
“this [new] “While this study provides excellent research and data, and it's impressive that they followed so many people for over 12 years, it doesn't resonate with me.” said Dr. Ashkan Farhadi, a gastroenterologist who is not involved in the disease. Current research. “Some factors are open to interpretation. For example, what is a healthy diet? What is strenuous exercise? With large numbers of participants, researchers can I think I can find it.”
“I think stress management is essential,” Farhadi said. Today's medical news. “Take a meditative walk. Exercise to relieve stress. If something makes your symptoms worse, don't eat it. This study provides great information for researchers to learn more about IBS.” However, there is no information that physicians can use to better care for their patients.”
“Chronic stress can cause or worsen IBS symptoms, possibly through the gut-brain axis,” says a registered dietitian in Arizona who was not involved in the study. added Dr. Ann Dunahy. “Lifestyle strategies aimed at reducing stress can therefore be helpful. These include mindfulness meditation, yoga, tai chi, exercise (especially outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air), These include spending more time with friends and family and working with a behavioral health therapist. It also suggests a relationship with
“Many lifestyle factors influence the mix of microbes in your gut,” Dunahy said. Today's medical news. “In addition to chronic stress, a Western diet rich in ultra-processed foods, excess sugar and alcohol, poor sleep quality, lack of exercise, and the use of certain drugs (prescription and over-the-counter), the gut microbiome Again, strategies are needed because they can disrupt the plexus, and anything aimed at mitigating these can certainly help.”
“We believe that a holistic approach that addresses lifestyle changes to reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is more effective than medications,” says Holistic Nutritionist, Health Coach, and Yogi says Tatiana Ridley, instructor and founder of Healthylicious Bliss. “However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to IBS, and a combination of lifestyle changes and medication may provide significant relief for some people.
“Identifying and avoiding triggers such as FODMAPs, caffeine, alcohol, and certain foods such as spicy foods can reduce symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and pain,” the study states. said Ridley, who was not involved. Today's medical news.
But Ridley said she understands that irritable bowel syndrome can be difficult to manage because the triggers and symptoms vary from person to person.
“IBS is a complex condition because there does not appear to be a single cause and there is no one-size-fits-all management method,” Dunahy added. “But lifestyle seems to play an important role.”
If you have irritable bowel syndrome, Dunahy recommends working with a nutritionist who specializes in gut health, as diet is the cornerstone of treatment.
She points out that diet directly impacts your gut flora, as well as sleep, stress, and other factors.
Because this was an observational study, the researchers were unable to determine cause and effect.
The scientists also relied on self-reported information, which may not be accurate. The participants were over the age of 55, so the results may not apply to younger people.
Finally, it was not possible to account for lifestyle changes during the 12-year monitoring period.
“As stated in the paper, there was an inverse relationship between depression and physical activity,” Lee said. “These factors can influence the analysis. Osteoarthritis can also limit physical activity, and the impact of osteoarthritis on studies in these older adult populations may also contribute to the small number of studies.” It is listed in the paper as one of the limitations.”
