Your Gut Symptoms

Gut Health: The Foundation of Wellness 

As Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said more than 2000 years ago: “All disease begins in the gut”. The old adage "‘you are what you eat”, is reinforced daily by newly emerging evidence that the quality of the microbiome in our body can affect everything from our immune system to our mental wellbeing. Our microbiota has a major role to play in the health and function of our gastro-intestional tract. Below are some common gut problems with their symptoms.

IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastro-intestinal disease with a high prevalence in modern society. The disorder can be debilitating, or symptoms may be mild but nonetheless irritating. (1)

Symptoms:

• Stomach pain or cramps

• Bloating

• Diarrhoea

• Constipation

• Tiredness and a lack of energy

• Feeling sick (nausea)

• Backache

• Indigestion

Leaky Gut Syndrome - Intestinal permeability

Leaky gut syndrome is an increase in the permeability of the intestinal mucosa, which allows bacteria, toxic digestive metabolites, toxins and small molecules to ‘leak’ into the bloodstream. Leaky gut syndrome is also associated with coeliac disease.(2)

Acid Reflux (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common clinical problem. Approximately half of all adults will report reflux symptoms at some time. GERD presents as troublesome symptoms and complications relating to the reflux of stomach contents into the oesophagus.(3)

The typical symptom is heartburn. This most often occurs 30 to 60 minutes after meals and upon reclining.(4)

IBD - Irritable Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is defined as a chronic intestinal inflammation. IBDs are a group of auto-immune diseases that are characterised by inflammation of both the small and large intestines, where parts of the digestive system are attacked by the body’s own immune system. This inflammatory condition manifests in two major forms, known as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Patients affected by these diseases experience severe abdominal symptoms.(5)

Symptoms:

• Diarrhoea

• Abdominal pain

• Blood in stools

• Vomiting

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition of the colon. It is the most common form of inflammatory bowel disease. It characteristically involves inflammation of the mucosa and submucosa of the colon. (6)

Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain

• Constipation

• Severe dehydration

• Rectal pain and bleeding

• Sudden and significant weight loss

• Anemia

• Urgent diarrhoea

• Fatigue

• Fever

SIBO - Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is defined as the presence of an abnormally high number of bacteria in the small bowel. (7)

Symptoms:

• Diarrhoea

• Flatulence

• Abdominal pain

• Bloating and abdominal distention 

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine, produced by the ingestion of dietary gluten products in susceptible people. It is a multi-factorial disease, that has genetic and environmental components. Thanks to advanced understanding of its pathogenesis, numerous therapeutic strategies exist for the treatment of celiac disease.(8)

Symptoms:

• Diarrhoea

• Abdominal pain

• Flatulence

• Indigestion

• Constipation

• Vomiting

• Fatigue

• Iron, Vitamin B12 or Folic Acid deficiency