Lactose Intolerance and IBS

This new research studied patients with diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers found that about 50% of these patient tested positive using the hydrogen breath test for lactose intolerance. These patients were also characterized by high levels of anxiety, mucosal activation and increased visceral sensitivity. Interestingly, the researchers found that these patients when treated through dietary modification showed improvement in their symptoms. Thus the researchers concluded that a positive hydrogen breath test for lactose intolerance is a biomarker of when an IBS patient could be successful treated with dietary therapy.

Ref: Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2013 Dec 5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24308871