Mens Health Blog. Medical Blog

CLASSIFYING THE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: TRYING THE COMMON-SENSE APPROACHIf your bowel is not functioning normally it is saying very clearly that i does not like the treatment it is receiving. It may be your diet, lack of exercise, loss of tone in the abdominal muscles, or your state of mind.The Needs of the Sluggish BowelStart by drinking more water, particularly on waking and between meals. If you drink water with meals it dilutes the gastric juices which is not beneficial. Eat foods with a high water content, vegetables (particularly raw), and fruit. A high-fibre diet does not need to be a high-bran diet. It is better if whole grains are eaten instead of adding extra bran, as extra bran can sometimes lead to irritation of the lining of the bowel or prevent the absorption of some minerals.Take a Bulking AgentThis is a substance which soothes the lining of the bowel and surrounds the hard pellets of faeces, making a spongy mass which stimulates peristalsis, the wavelike muscular contraction of the wall of the bowel. Psyllium or lspagula husk, from a plant in the plantain family, is an excellent choice and is available in most pharmacies and health food stores. It is old-fashioned, cheap and less likely to cause irritation or allergy than bran-based products. Isogel is one brand, but there are others. (New Nutrition have a range of colon cleansing products.How do I Take it?The dose is 1-2 teaspoonfuls in water daily. It has little taste and is not a problem to take, although mixing it with carbonated water does make it easier to get down. It must be swallowed immediately after mixing; you will see by the remains in the glass that it quickly forms a jelly. Linseed is also soothing and healing for the bowel, and most health food shops and some pharmacies have it. If you soak a few seeds in water you will see a jelly form. This has the same action as the Isogel and in addition has nutritional benefits. One dessertspoonful can be taken in yogurt or on cereal in the mornings, or you can keep a bowl on the table and take a few every time you pass, making sure you chew them thoroughly because they are a good source of essential fatty acids. A product called Linuset Gold can be found in most health food shops.*7\326\8*

Q. At long last, let’s get on to the standby therapy of the past fifty years or more — antacids. What is their current status in ulcer treatment?

A. I’m glad you mentioned them, for the current reaction to them is a mixed one. For many years they have been the sheet anchor of therapy, but mainly by default rather than because of their intrinsic worth.

There is little doubt that they will reduce ulcer pain. However, as far as healing is concerned, evidence indicates that very large doses are required. According to a leading Sydney gastro-enterologist who has treated ulcers for many years, “when given in high dosage (equivalent to 30 ml double strength aluminium hydroxide gel one hour before and after each meal and also before retiring), antacids have also been shown to be effective in treating peptic ulcers. Liquid antacids are generally more effective than tablet formulations, but are less convenient for the working person.”

Q. Could taking all that medication each day in itself produce unpleasant side effects?

A. It seems this is possible and many patients on high doses may develop diarrhoea or constipation. Also, long term, a condition called ‘hypophosphataemia’ with anorexia (loss of appetite), muscular weakness, and a bone condition called osteomalacia may take place, if used in high doses over prolonged periods of time. Other side effects are also possible, depending on the type of antacid used. One case was recently reported in the medical journals of a patient with very large bladder stones which had developed after many years of taking a calcium antacid.

However, there is little doubt that used with discretion, and under proper supervision, antacids can bring a good deal of symptom relief. They are cheap, readily available and, in smaller doses, may do little harm, even if they are not as dramatically beneficial as some of the newer forms of medication. The antacids are available in many forms, as mixtures, tablets, powders. Many patients will continue using them, especially if there is occasional abdominal discomfort. What’s more, they often help in simple cases of dyspepsia, a feeling of fullness, bloat, and the unpleasant sensation which commonly follows from ‘dietetic indiscretions’, as the doctors succinctly put it.

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