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<\/picture><\/span><\/span><\/figure>\nIrritable bowel syndrome<\/a>\u00a0is a chronic disease characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort, as well as bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea (1<\/a>).<\/p>\n It affects 7\u201321% of people worldwide and is three times more prevalent in women than men in the West, though the difference is not as great in Asia (1<\/a>,\u00a02<\/a>,\u00a03<\/a>).<\/p>\n The exact causes of IBS are unknown. However, some suggested causes include changes in digestive motility, infections, brain-gut interactions, bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivities, carbohydrate malabsorption and intestinal inflammation (3<\/a>,\u00a04<\/a>).<\/p>\n Eating certain foods can trigger symptoms, and stress can worsen them (3<\/a>,\u00a05<\/a>).<\/p>\n IBS is diagnosed when you have abdominal pain at least one day per week for three months, plus at least two of the following symptoms: pain related to a bowel movement, a change in stool frequency or a change in stool appearance (6<\/a>).<\/p>\n In addition, there are four subtypes of IBS, which relate to the type of bowel movement most often experienced (6<\/a>):<\/p>\n Another subtype, known as \u201cpost-infectious\u201d IBS has also been suggested for people who develop the disease following an infection. This subtype may apply to as many as 25% of people with IBS (3<\/a>).<\/p>\n Treatment for all subtypes includes medication, diet and lifestyle improvements, the elimination of FODMAPs and lactose and the use of probiotics (3<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n