A team of researchers at McMaster University in Canada, led by Premysl Bercik, has discovered that gluten may not be as big a trigger for people with IBS as previously believed. They carried out a study on 28 IBS sufferers who said they experienced improvements in their symptoms on a gluten-free diet. They were each asked to introduce a cereal bar into their diet for a week, which they were told may worsen their symptoms. In fact, some of the bars were high in gluten, and others were gluten-free. The results showed that many participants experienced symptoms even after eating the gluten-free bars.
This "nocebo effect," where people experience symptoms because they expect them, could have caused these results. The research team notes that gluten and wheat may still cause IBS symptoms in some people, but for indirect reasons, such as altering the gut microbiome.
The fact is that IBS and its mechanisms are still very much a mystery, as researchers are looking into what triggers the syndrome as well as the best way to handle or even cure it.
With symptoms like cramping, bloating, or constipation, this chronic condition requires long-term management. IBS can be stressful and painful, impacting sufferers' quality of life. However, people with IBS can turn to certain strategies in order to reduce uncomfortable symptoms.