Good news for IBS patients. Studies show that people who suffer with bloating and flatulence due to IBS may get relief from an antibiotic used to treat diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common -- and frequently misunderstood -- digestive disorders. One in five adults in the United States have symptoms of IBS, yet only a small number of people with symptoms seek treatment. In a recent poll of 201 women who had not been diagnosed with IBS but had symptoms of the disorder, 88% had heard of IBS but 21% had not talked to a doctor about their symptoms because they didn’t think it was a real medical condition -- and 14% didn’t think there was any treatment for IBS.

Gas-related symptoms, such as bloating and flatulence, can be a problem for people with IBS. According to a study reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (Volume 101, page 326), an antibiotic used to treat diarrhea may offer some relief.

The study included 124 people with gas symptoms; more than half met the diagnostic criteria for IBS. Some participants received the antibiotic rifaximin (Xifaxan) for 10 days; the rest received a placebo. The participants also had breath tests and kept a symptom diary. After 10 days, 41% of people in the Xifaxan group had a significant decrease in their symptom severity, compared with 23% in the placebo group. Ten days after stopping treatment, symptoms were still reduced in 29% of the Xifaxan group and in 12% of the placebo group. Among the participants who had IBS, 41% were helped by 10 days of Xifaxan, while 18% improved while taking the placebo. Also, the breath tests showed that people taking Xifaxan had significant drops in hydrogen excretion, suggesting that their colons were fermenting less gas.

More studies are needed to determine whether Xifaxan is safe over the long term. Researchers expect it to be, because the antibiotic is not absorbed by the body and thus has no side effects.