Diarrhoea, abdominal pain, flatulence or constipation? If these symptoms occur regularly, they could be caused by irritable bowel syndrome. In the UK alone, around 6.5 million people suffer from it.¹ But many people don't realise this: How such an "irritable bowel" manifests itself varies greatly.

Not all irritable bowel syndrome is the same! Learn about the different types of IBS and why a specific strain of bacteria could help.

For many centuries, the cause of irritable bowel syndrome was a mystery. It was not until the new technological possibilities of the 21st century, such as the use of confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE), that a breakthrough was made.

Today, scientists assume that one of the most common causes of recurring bowel complaints is a damaged intestinal barrier - even the smallest damage (so-called microlesions) can allow pathogens and harmful substances to penetrate the intestinal wall, irritate the intestine and cause inflammation.

The unpleasant consequences: Recurrent intestinal complaints such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, flatulence and constipation.² These can occur individually or in combination and can also vary in intensity and duration. For those affected, this represents a considerable burden in everyday life, which can have a very negative impact on their quality of life.

For example, irritable bowel syndrome sufferer Graham M. reports on his stressful restrictions:

Graham M. is just one of millions of IBS sufferers whose daily lives are determined by their bowels. Despite its prevalence and significant impact on quality of life, irritable bowel syndrome is often misunderstood and under-diagnosed. A study from Germany shows that it takes up to 8 years on average for sufferers to be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.³

An important facet when considering irritable bowel syndrome is the distinction between the different types of irritable bowel syndrome, each of which is characterised by specific symptoms and patterns.

People with IBS-D suffer from frequent liquid stools, which are often accompanied by abdominal pain, cramps and a feeling of urgency. People with IBS-D may also experience increased gas and bloating.

In contrast to the diarrhoea type, the irritable bowel syndrome type IBS-C is characterised by predominant constipation or infrequent bowel movements (a maximum of three times a week). Those affected often struggle with sluggish bowel movements and hard stools. In addition to constipation, they may also suffer from abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort.

The irritable bowel syndrome types RDS-M and RDS-A describe sufferers who suffer from both diarrhoea and constipation. This form of irritable bowel syndrome can be particularly distressing as the symptoms are unpredictable and sufferers often find it difficult to predict how their bowel will react.

With an irritable bowel syndrome of type IBS-M, these two symptoms can sometimes occur within the same day, while sufferers of type IBS-A go through longer phases of diarrhoea or constipation.

Sometimes the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome do not clearly fit into one of the above categories - and irritable bowel syndrome sufferers cannot be categorised as having IBS-D, IBS-C, IBS-M or IBS-A. However, this does not mean that the symptoms are less stressful for those affected. In this case, some doctors also speak of the "pain type" and "bloating type".

Many people who repeatedly suffer from intestinal complaints opt to take preparations that provide short-term relief, e.g. for diarrhoea. The problem with this is that preparations that target individual symptoms are often inadequate!

A research team from the German company SYNformulas therefore wanted to find a way to help irritable bowel syndrome sufferers - and ideally develop a preparation that would be effective for all irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and types. Together with an Italian scientist, they therefore set out to find a solution more than 10 years ago.

The idea was to utilise the findings on the damaged intestinal barrier mentioned at the beginning and to start directly there. Over the course of time, they came across a very special strain of bifido bacteria called B. bifidum MIMBb75.

To put their theory to the test, the researchers conducted two gold standard studies (studies according to the highest scientific standard) in which they tested the efficacy of the bacterial strain B. bifidum MIMBb75 in both live and heat-inactivated form. The results were remarkable: in both studies, the efficacy against irritable bowel syndrome was impressively demonstrated.^4,5

Inspired by these results, the researchers developed the product Kijimea IBS PRO, which contains the bacterial strain B. bifidum MIMBb75 in heat-inactivated form. The success speaks for itself: SYNformulas, the company behind Kijimea, recently reported more than 4 million packs of the irritable bowel syndrome preparation sold.

Consumers also appreciate the careful composition and high quality standards that the company applies to its products. Numerous enthusiastic online reviews can be found.