Khaberni - Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome feel embarrassed about their condition, and research shows that they encounter negative attitudes even from doctors, implying that their symptoms are merely imagined, which may drive them to resort to social media and its unproven remedies.
So what is this syndrome? How can it be managed? And why does it affect women more than men? Dr. Lauren Manning, a lecturer in Nutrition and Human Nutrition at La Trobe University in Australia, shares answers to these questions with The Independent.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is recognized as a complex disorder that affects the neural networks known as the brain-gut axis.
People with this condition suffer from unpredictable and uncomfortable bowel movements, such as diarrhea and constipation, and other symptoms may include pelvic pain, headaches, and fatigue, significantly affecting quality of life.
The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is still unclear, but scientists know that the messages between the brain and the gut can go off track, and the stresses of daily life can accelerate or slow these messages.
As a result, there is an increased reaction in the intestines where they become highly sensitive to food, stress, and anxiety, leading to unpredictable bowel movements.
Hormones Exacerbate Symptoms
Studies suggest that women are twice as likely to develop this condition as men, and symptoms are more common among women aged 18 to 39, causing significant embarrassment.
The difference in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome between men and women—and the severity—may be due to hormonal differences.
Men have more testosterone, which is believed to help protect against irritable bowel syndrome. On the other hand, fluctuations in the hormones estrogen and progesterone—which are higher in women—can exacerbate symptoms.
These hormones affect the speed at which food moves through the intestines, either speeding up or slowing down the contractions of the intestines, thereby leading to pain and other symptoms such as constipation and diarrhea.
The likelihood of symptoms worsening in women increases during the reproductive years, and symptoms often aggravate during menstruation—a period when estrogen and progesterone levels drop. Moreover, there is also evidence that women with endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome are more likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome.
