A Norwegian researcher claims to have found the best treatment for those suffering from IBS.

"This is a sensation," says Magdy El-Salhy, senior physician and professor emeritus at the University of Bergen. For patient Miriam Ekelund, 43, it was a lifeline.

"I am a completely new person today," she says.

Miriam Ekelund was diagnosed with celiac disease (gluten intolerance) in her last year of high school, and when she removed gluten, she noticed she felt much better.

After high school, she eventually got a job in aid work and spent a period working in South Sudan.

This is where the nightmare began, when she discovered she had five different parasites throughout her body. Miriam was treated with antiparasitics and large amounts of antibiotics, which she had used extensively in childhood due to constant sore throats.

"Antibiotics destroyed my gut flora"

But this time, the strong antibiotic course led to a large intestine infection – and she was prescribed even more antibiotics as treatment. The infection is called Clostridioides difficile.

"I believe the antibiotics destroyed my gut flora," Miriam Ekelund tells VG.

Back home in Norway, Miriam saw doctors who confirmed she had IBS, something a large number of Swedes suffer from.

"In the second-to-last survey, 13.8 percent of the population in Sweden had IBS. Today, about half as many are diagnosed with IBS compared to five years ago, because the criteria have changed," says gastroenterologist Greger Lindberg, adjunct professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at Karolinska Institutet.

"I didn't even know what it was," says Miriam Ekelund.

How antibiotics affect the body

Rasmus Goll, researcher and senior physician at the University Hospital of Tromsø, has conducted extensive research on how antibiotics affect the body.

"Antibiotics are a treatment that kills the unwanted bacteria in the body that make us sick. Unfortunately, they also destroy the good and healthy bacteria we have in our bodies," he says, seeing a clear connection to Miriam Ekelund, who has consumed a lot of antibiotics throughout her life.

"It's clear that if you receive antibiotics, it can leave its mark on the bacterial flora."

Fecal transplantation: "A sensation"

Researcher Rasmus Goll points out that what is usually difficult with treating intestinal diseases is that you simply don't know what caused the disease.

"We know that in Clostridioides difficile intestinal infection, the theory is that it's due to the antibiotics one takes. It almost resolves itself when a healthy bacterial flora is introduced during fecal transplantation," says Goll.

Fecal transplantation is when you take stool from a healthy donor and insert it into a sick patient. In this way, new and healthy bacteria are introduced into a sick gut flora.

The researcher also says that patients must, of course, be treated with antibiotics if they need them, and the side effects can be treated even afterwards.

Magdy El-Salhy is a senior physician and professor emeritus at the University of Bergen. He has researched fecal transplantation for IBS patients and has recently published his latest research in the field.

The research article shows that those who received a fecal transplantation through the study two and three years ago still have a good effect from it.

"We believe we have found the cure for IBS with fecal transplantation. We see that half of those who received treatment from us have fully recovered, the other half have significantly improved. This is a sensation," says El-Salhy.

The professor also believes that his research can pave the way for fecal transplantation to treat diseases other than IBS.

"We have developed our own method for how we perform the transplantation, which differs from previous research. We believe this method can yield results for other diseases as well," says the researcher.

What is Fecal Transplantation

• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a method where healthy bacteria from an individual's gut flora are transferred to a recipient to restore the gut flora.

• By collecting healthy bacteria from donated stool, these can restore balance.

• The transplantation can be performed in several ways, such as via colonoscopy, enema, capsules, or nasogastric tube.

• The transplantation is used to counteract diseases such as Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), constipation, colitis, and other intestinal diseases.

• As alternatives to antibiotics are sought to cure intestinal diseases, FMT has become a more recognized method.

The effect of fecal transplantation for IBS sufferers

• 125 people with IBS participated in the Norwegian study.

• 38 people received placebo, 42 people received 30 grams of donor stool, and 45 received 60 grams of donor stool.

• Two years after the transplantation, 26.3% of those who received placebo, 69.1% of those who received 30 grams of donor stool, and 77.8% of those who received 60 grams of donor stool reported feeling better.

• Three years after the transplantation, 27.0% of those who received placebo, 64.9% of those who received 30 grams of donor stool, and 71.8% of those who received 60 grams of donor stool reported feeling better.

Source: Gastrojournal.org

Tips for good gut health

• Eat a healthy and varied diet, and more unprocessed foods. Your gut flora will be affected by your diet.
• Fiber is known to be good for digestion.
• Probiotics like Biola or other types of lactic acid bacteria are good and healthy bacteria for the gut.
• Fennel which has an antispasmodic effect on the stomach and intestines and reduces gas formation in the intestinal tract.
• Dandelion which stimulates digestion and contributes to stomach well-being through its probiotic effects.
• Lemon balm is calming and antispasmodic for stomach discomfort. Supports digestion and contributes to the normal function of the intestinal tract, which contributes to well-being.
• Peppermint supports the production of digestive fluids, especially bile, making the herb a good digestive aid. Through its anti-inflammatory action and calming effect on the intestines, the herb also relieves diarrhea and gas. Antispasmodic effect on the stomach and intestines.

Source: Researchers Ýrr Mørch and Rasmus Goll

The article is an excerpt from Aftonbladet written by Emil K Lagnelius, Dávvet Bruun-Solbakk/VG