3 Biggest IBS Myths Busted by Experts

Sugar and IBS

To understand the link, let’s take a closer look at the different types of sugar – and how our bodies digest them.

Not everyone’s IBS is equal, so different people will have different triggers, and might be sensitive to different types of sugars.

The key is to identify your own causes and what techniques could work for you personally.

What about FODMAPs?

You might have heard of a “low FODMAP diet” for helping with IBS symptoms. FODMAP stands for Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.

In a nutshell, FODMAPs are a group of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that aren’t fully digested in the small intestine, so they make their way down to the billions of bacteria in our large intestine. Here, the bacteria feast on them, fermenting and producing extra gas. That’s where bloating, gas and stomach pain can come in.

This is a normal process and FODMAPs are far from being ‘bad’ for you – in fact, lots of super nutritious fruits and veggies, as well as grains and dairy products, are filled with FODMAPs.

But for people with IBS, where their tummies are highly sensitive, this extra gas can result in the common IBS symptoms, like pain, wind, bloating and a change in poo habits. Some of the most common culprit FODMAPs are fructans, found in wheat, garlic and onions, and the polyols sorbitol and mannitol which are found in sugar free or low calorie foods such as chewing gum and protein bars, but also some foods like mushrooms.

Malabsorption and IBS

So we now know that if you have IBS, you don’t need to worry about not absorbing your food, unless you do have an underlying condition that hasn’t been recognized

The tricky part is, symptoms of other tummy troubles like lactose intolerance can often seem similar to IBS. And lactose intolerance does come with problems absorbing foods that contain lactose (aka malabsorption). Enter the confusion and misdiagnosis!

Other conditions that may be mistaken for IBS include bile acid malabsorption, where the gut doesn’t absorb bile acids properly leading to watery diarrhea. One study found that up to 40% of people with ISB may have this condition. Another less common condition is pancreatic insufficiency, which affects around 5% of people with IBS. This causes bloating and diarrhea because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough enzymes to help you digest food properly.

If you suspect an intolerance or another issue affecting your absorption, check in with your GP, gut specialist or registered nutrition professional who can help you identify intolerances and get your tummy back on track.

Fasting and IBS

There are two main types of fasting that are often talked about: intermittent fasting and long-term fasting.

Intermittent fasting = alternating between set periods of eating and not eating. For example, the 16:8 method, where you’d eat within an 8-hour window and restrict food for 16 hours. Similarly, the 5:2 method, where you’d eat normally for 5 days then reduce food intake for 2 days.

Long-term fasting = restricting food for a longer period of time, such as 24 or 48 hours

Some people with IBS say giving their tummy a break with fasting does help with their symptoms. But this isn’t backed by strong science. The anecdotal benefits are likely to be only temporary for people where symptoms only occur in response to each time they eat, rather than fasting helping to ‘fix’ or ‘heal’ the underlying problem.

Fasting can also lead to people eating much larger portions of food after a fasted period. And this excess food can trigger those symptoms to come right back – with a vengeance.