Why is IBS suddenly trending on TikTok?

by RNZ

If you're not a regular on TikTok, you may have never heard of “Hot Girl Gut Problems.” However, you may have experienced what this means. Over the past year, the number of young, healthy-looking women using the platform to discuss bloating, constipation, wind, and other intestinal issues (usually related to irritable bowel syndrome or IBS) has increased are doing. The #hotgirlshaveibs tag currently has over 29 million views.

This likely reflects the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome, especially in women. It is thought to affect approximately 1 in 10 people, mainly women between the ages of 20 and 50. Symptoms can range from mild bloating to severe pain, and some patients report being unable to leave the house at their worst.

What is IBS?

IBS, also known as functional bowel problems, is a group of symptoms related to the movement of the intestinal wall. These contract and relax to force out food. In people with IBS, this can be disrupted and cause the body to contract too much, causing diarrhea, or to contract too slowly, causing constipation. People with IBS may have one predominant symptom, both symptoms, or may switch between the two symptoms. Symptoms may come and go over time and include feeling bloated or bloated, nausea, and pain.

What could be the cause?

The cause of IBS is actually unknown, but there are several theories. Registered dietitian Nikki Hursthouse sees many patients with IBS in her practice and says there is usually more than one cause.

“There are usually a lot of things going on that affect the gut-brain connection,” she says, referring to the enteric nervous system (the collection of nerve cells inside the digestive system that communicates with the brain). Scientists sometimes refer to this as the “second brain.”

IBS can begin as a result of an infection, sometimes gastroenteritis. Changes in your microbiome (the population of bugs that live in your gut) may be to blame. Food intolerance may be the cause. However, stress is also a common trigger and can worsen symptoms.

“Stress is one of the biggest factors affecting the gut-brain connection because it activates the nervous system,” says Hursthouse.

“It puts us into a fight-or-flight state, and in that state the gut-brain connection becomes constantly sensitive. We become more sensitive to pain and more sensitive to the types of foods that can cause problems. They will be more responsive to it.”

People with IBS are thought to have increased sensitivity to intestinal pain, spasms, and bloating.

It is also possible that IBS-type symptoms are the result of an eating disorder. Eliminating foods for health or weight loss purposes can worsen your gut symptoms, as can dieting. Hursthouse says this could be why people may think they have IBS when they actually don't.

How do you know if you have an eating disorder? Hursthouse explains what a disordered eating pattern looks like.

“Someone may eat very small meals a day. They may be following a diet or meal plan that restricts their eating. Then they go home and hit a wall. They just feel exhausted and have this insatiable primal hunger that they can't control. So they can binge on food. And then they feel bloated because they've just eaten so much food at once. They will feel like they are going to get gas. They react because they are loaded.”

The gut is also affected by hormonal changes, especially in women. IBS can be worse during certain times of the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause.

How is IBS diagnosed?

Not from a TikTok video! There is no actual test to definitively diagnose IBS, so IBS is a diagnosis of elimination. Before determining IBS, other serious causes of intestinal symptoms, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac disease, must first be eliminated. Your doctor usually orders blood tests, examines you, and may refer you to a gastroenterologist.

Dr. Hursthouse points out that some bloating is normal. It is normal for our stomachs to expand when we eat food.

“Some bloating and gas is a normal phenomenon of digestion. If you eat a big meal, yes, you'll experience a little bloating and gas. Or if you eat a lot of stone fruit because it's summer, yes. , you'll experience some bloating and gas. That doesn't always mean something big is going on.”

How is IBS treated?

IBS can be lifelong and there is no single treatment. It tends to be symptom specific. There are several effective medications for diarrhea and pain. For constipation, laxatives, fiber supplements (or dietary changes to increase fiber) may help. Peppermint oil capsules have been shown to be effective in reducing pain and bloating in some people. Changing your eating habits can also be effective. Adopting a low FODMAP diet is a well-established treatment. FODMAPs are a type of carbohydrate found in common foods that some people may find difficult to digest. However, Professor Hursthouse emphasizes that this diet does not permanently restrict all high FODMAP foods. Most people have a tolerance level, and establishing it is important.

“People think that low FODMAP is a diet, a lifelong diet. That's not the case.”

Because IBS has a mind-body connection, Hursthouse says it's important to focus on the gut-brain connection and stress in everything you do.

She says gut-directed hypnotherapy is one approach that has been found to be as effective or more effective than a low-FODMAP diet in clinical trials.

“This is backed by good research, but it also allows people to continue living their lives and access food for normal social situations, meals with family and friends, and all other purposes, while at the same time managing symptoms. You will also be able to work on management' time. “

Why is IBS suddenly trending on TikTok?

It's not clear, but it may be part of an overall trend toward normalizing talking about health issues that have traditionally been considered a little uncomfortable to talk about, especially women's health issues.

“I have worked with clients who feel very embarrassed to talk about this. [gut issues] Even if it's just a private consultation,” Hursthouse said.

“If this is a way to normalize intestinal problems, that would be great. Even women get diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas. Nobody talked about it before. .”

*Niki Besant is a writer, speaker, journalist, and author specializing in health, wellness, and science.