A new meta analysis out in December of 2018 holds really exciting news for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Doctors have known for some time that the microbiome has an effect on the disease process of IBD. The paper “The clinical effects of probiotics for inflammatory bowel disease” by Kai Jai et al, compared the results of many different studies on the effect of probiotics and medications or placebo on the remission and relapse rates for patients with IBD. What they found was that in most cases patients taking the probiotics had the same relapse rates as those taking Mesalamine, a common IBD medication. What this means is that, instead of taking a medication that carries some potentially harmful side effects, you may be able to take specific strains of probiotics and do just as well if not better. So far there are few documented adverse effects associated with taking probiotics**. This is really exciting news! The great thing about our naturopathic therapies is that they are rarely only doing one thing in the body. Sometimes as we treat you for one problem we see other issues resolved at the same time.
Treatment of IBD is multifaceted. The best approach is finding the right diet, supplements and/or medication support for your individual situation, as well as developing healthy stress coping skills. I have a passion for working gastrointestinal disorders and look forward to sharing that passion with you as we improve your health. At Revolutions Naturopathic we have many tools to help you return to and maintain your health including herbal medicine, high quality reliable supplements, IV therapy and ozone therapy. As a naturopathic doctor I take a whole person approach to your treatment to make sure you are able to be the best version of you!
Resources:
Kai Jai, Xin Tong, Rong Wang, & Xin Song. (2018). The clinical effects of probiotics for inflammatory bowel disease. Medicine,98(5). doi:10.1097/md.0000000000014429
** Adverse effects with probiotics have been documented in patients with severe immune compromise.