How Does IBS Start?

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Unfortunately, researchers have not been able to pinpoint any specific causes for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). What they have determined, however, is that there appears to be a set of common factors among IBS patients that may give clues to potential treatments. Those common factors are:

Genetics
Gender
Bowel infection
Bowel injury
Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
Psychological distress

Severe IBS symptoms are more likely to develop in patients exposed to continued stress and who also suffer from anxiety, depression, somatization, poor coping skills, and catastrophizing behavior.

Genetics

Researchers have found that a significant number of IBS patients have an immediate family member that has a history of bowel disorders. On study found that people with immediate family members that had a history of abdominal pain or bowel problems had a 230% greater chance of developing IBS.

There have been other studies which investigated the genetic influence of IBS by comparing the incidence of IBS in twins. One study found that identical twins had a 33.3% chance of both twins developing IBS, whereas non-identical twins had a 13.3% chance. A second study on twins found the rates to be 17.2% for identical twins, 8.4% for non-identical twins. An more current study has found that the rates were similar for both types of twins. These studies seem to support the theory that some patients are genetically predisposed to developing IBS, although there are other factors that are required.

Gender

A majority of the research studies show that women are more likely to develop IBS than men. This has garnered significant attention lately because women and men seem to respond the IBS medications differently. Analysis of survey response data indicates that the gender discrepancy most likely reflects a bias on referring women to specialty care and research centers. However, there is some research that indicates that increased sex hormone levels may have a part in the development of IBS symptoms:

- Women with IBS often report an increase in symptoms during their menstrual cycle.
- Women that are on hormone replacement therapy are more likely to suffer from IBS symptoms than women not on therapy.

There is more research needed in this area to help explain the difference that gender plays in the exacerbation of IBS symptom. More research is also needed to understand why men are not as likely to develop postinfectious IBS as women.

More on the start of IBS in my next post.

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