Unraveling IBS: Causes and Diagnoses

Fixing The Root Causes Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome | This episode is brought to you by AirDoctor

Millions of people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These people struggle with miserable, often disabling symptoms like bloating, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and pain. IBS can be caused by a range of factors, including food allergies, overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine (SIBO), a lack of digestive enzymes, parasites living in the gut, zinc or magnesium deficiency, and heavy metal toxicity. That’s why it is so critically important to personalize treatment based on the unique circumstances that exist for each person who suffers from IBS. 

In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with Dr. Todd LePine to discuss the numerous underlying issues that can contribute to IBS, what type of testing they conduct when working with patients experiencing IBS, and much more. 

Dr. LePine graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, specializing in Integrative Functional Medicine. He is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner. Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center, he worked as a physician at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA, for 10 years. Dr. LePine’s focus at The UltraWellness Center is to help his patients achieve optimal health and vitality by restoring the natural balance to both the mind and the body. His areas of interest include optimal aging, bio-detoxification, functional gastrointestinal health, systemic inflammation, autoimmune disorders and the neurobiology of mood and cognitive disorders. Dr. LePine teaches around the world, and has given lectures to doctors and patients at American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), Age Management Medicine Group (AMMG), the University of Miami Integrative Medicine Conference, The Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA, and is on the faculty for American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). Dr. LePine is the head of the Scientific Advisory Board for Designs for Health and a consultant for Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory. He enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking, camping and golfing in the beautiful Berkshires, and is a fitness enthusiast.

This episode is sponsored by AirDoctor. We need clean air not only to live but to create vibrant health and protect ourselves and loved ones from toxin exposure and disease. That’s why we’ve teamed up with AirDoctor to offer you the AirDoctor Professional Air Purifier systems at a special price. Learn more at www.drhyman.com/filter.

In this episode, Dr. Hyman and Dr. LePine discuss:

• The conventional medicine approach to treating IBS

• Stress and IBS

• How the gut and the brain are connected

• Why an IBS diagnosis tells you nothing about the cause of IBS

• How having a history of colic as a baby, having been vaginally birthed or breast fed, your childhood diet, past antibiotic use, family history of digestive issues, and other information can provide insight into identifying the cause of and treating IBS

• Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), having a “food baby,” and auto-brewery symptom

• Types of testing to diagnose IBS, including GI map testing, hydrogen methane breath testing, gastric level testing, IBSSure testing, and organic urine testing

• The negative effect of long-term use of acid blockers

• Reasons for IBS including food sensitivities, allergies, parasites, enzyme deficiencies, heavy metals, Lyme disease, autoimmune issues, akkermansia levels, and more

• How eating a colorful diversity of vegetables and fruits benefits gut health and the microbiome

• The relationship between the immune system and gut health

• Common inflammatory foods

• Stimulation of the vagus nerve for “resting and digesting”

• Treating leaky gut with prebiotics, probiotics, diet, and nutrients

For more information visit drhyman.com/uwc

Additional Resources:

The Wrong Gut Bugs Can Make You Fat and Sick (and How to Fix Them)

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2017/09/21/the-wrong-gut-bugs-can-make-you-fat-and-sick-and-how-to-fix-them/

Getting to the Root: Tackling SIBO with Functional Medicine

https://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com/2019/06/14/getting-to-the-root-tackling-sibo-with-functional-medicine/

10 Strategies to Eliminate IBS and Create Good Gut Health

https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/08/26/10-strategies-to-eliminate-ibs-and-create-good-gut-health/

5 Simple Steps to Cure IBS Without Drugs

https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/09/16/5-simple-steps-to-cure-ibs-without-drugs/

How To Feed Your Gut

https://drhyman.com/blog/2018/04/13/how-to-feed-your-gut/

Do Probiotics Really Work?

https://drhyman.com/blog/2016/09/08/do-probiotics-really-work/

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