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Abnormal accumulation of intestinal fluid following ingestion of an unabsorbable carbohydrate in pat

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
Here's an article about the research... (@optimist, I think this is the official English version of your second link)...

First image of an irritable bowel
Just a few years ago many in the medical profession thought that the common intestinal malady irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was psychological – with its origins in the head, not the gut. But Norwegian medical researchers have shown that the intestines of IBS patients do react to food in a special way.


ScienceNordic
October 24
http://sciencenordic.com/first-image-irritable-bowel
 

Bob

Senior Member
Messages
16,455
Location
England (south coast)
Just to clarify, this is IBS research and not directly related to ME/CFS.

This is the abstract for the research paper.

Abnormal accumulation of intestinal fluid following ingestion of an unabsorbable carbohydrate in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: an MRI study
R. Undseth, A. Berstad, N.-E. Kløw, K. Arnljot, K. S. Moi and J. Valeur.
Neurogastroenterology & Motility
1 OCT 2014
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nmo.12449/abstract

Abstract
Background
Postprandial discomfort following intake of poorly absorbable, but fermentable carbohydrates is a common complaint in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We used lactulose as a model substance for this group of symptom triggering carbohydrates, aiming to visualize the intestinal response in IBS patients compared to healthy controls.

Methods
Patients with IBS according to Rome III criteria (n = 52) and healthy controls (n = 16) underwent a lactulose challenge test. By using magnetic resonance imaging, we measured small bowel water content (SBWC), and distension (diameter) of the distal ileum and the colon, both in fasting state and 1 h after ingestion of 10 g lactulose. We recorded symptoms after lactulose ingestion.

Key Results
Lactulose provoked significantly more symptoms in IBS patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.0001). SBWC increased more in the patient group compared to the control group (p = 0.0005). The postprandial diameter of the terminal ileum was larger in patients with IBS and the postprandial diameter of the ascending colon was smaller in patients with diarrhea-predominant phenotype (IBS-D). Symptoms were not correlated with change in SBWC (r = 0.05; p = 0.11), nor to the diameters of the terminal ileum or the colon.

Conclusions & Inferences
Compared to healthy controls, IBS patients developed more symptoms and had an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the small bowel in response to ingestion of the unabsorbable carbohydrate lactulose. This may be due to impaired motor activity of the small intestine or impaired function of the ileocecal segment.
 

optimist

Senior Member
Messages
434
Location
Norway
That's the same as the one I posted in Google translated version from Norwegian :) Great that you found one in proper English!

Science Nordic said:
Valeur wonders whether the neurotransmitter serotonin could be playing a role in this process. It stimulates movement in the digestive tract and previous findings have shown that IBS patients have less serotonin and fewer serotonin-releasing cells in the small intestine than healthy people.

This is particularly intriguing because serotonin is a substance that really affects the brain. We know that low levels of it can cause depression and anxiety, which are the mental afflictions that are common amongst IBS patients.

Maybe a lack of serotonin causes hypersensitivity in the bowels as well as the brain?

“But this issue of serotonin and IBS is extremely complicated,” cautions Valeur.

Serotonin can have highly different effects depending on which receptors it encounters in the body. This is much more than a matter of too little or too much. Not enough is known yet to say anything definitive about the role the substance might play in IBS.

How can one increase serotonin levels?
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Can I ask how it helps you? Does digestion get better? Do you feel difference in mood?

I address digestive problems with diet and other supplements (see my profile). The 5-HTP lifted my mood when I was going through a sad time, and I am staying on it for now.