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Food Allergies – A Cause of IBS

Published date: June 27, 2012 | Modified date:
by Dr Stephen Wangen

(Image thanks to jhu.edu)

Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome with a Food Elimination Diet Followed by Food Challenge and Probiotics


“Conclusion: These data demonstrate that identifying and appropriately addressing food sensitivity in IBS patients not previously responding to standard therapy results in a sustained clinical response and impacts on overall well being and quality of life in this challenging entity.” Drisko et. al. 2006

Most people who suffer from IBS are suffering at least in part because of an allergic reaction to one or more foods. If you’re like most people, you’re probably thinking, “Not me, I don’t have a food allergy.” Most people think they have a pretty good understanding of food allergies. You may know someone who has one and think, “My problem isn’t like theirs.” Or you may think that food allergies normally result in hives, a rash, or some kind of medical emergency. But even if you’ve already had food allergy testing, chances are it wasn’t very helpful. (For more information on this topic, see our page about the Standard Food Allergy Profile.)

You might have a tough time believing that you may have a food allergy because you’ve eaten the “offending” foods before, some every day, and have not suffered from consistently severe symptoms. Maybe you’ve had just a little diarrhea or constipation once in a while, until suddenly it gets worse or new symptoms develop. Symptoms of food allergies, including IBS symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation, can show up at any age, from birth to old age. The challenge in discovering your food allergy is in getting the proper testing done and in getting the proper education about where the offending foods are hidden in your diet.

Most clinics offer neither, even those that supposedly focus on allergies. My practice (the IBS Treatment Center) specializes in properly diagnosing food allergies and in giving you the information necessary to make the dietary changes needed to cure your IBS. This expertise is one of the reasons we have a high success rate for curing IBS.

Image thanks to jhu.edu