A Refreshing New Solution to IBS Symptoms

IBgard® combines science and nature to bring a more targeted treatment for IBS sufferers.

Sudden abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or urgency to have a bowel movement are some of the symptoms that haunt the lives of more than five million Canadians who live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Though few IBS sufferers experience these symptoms all at once, about 25 percent of IBS patients describe their symptoms as severe, often impairing their quality of life and inducing high rates of absenteeism from work or school. "With more than 120,000 Canadians developing IBS each year, this is a therapeutic area that requires more treatment options," says Jeff Suggitt, CEO of the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF). A soothing solution Recently, peppermint oil (PO) has shown efficacy in being a natural solution to reducing the discomfort of IBS symptoms.

By targeting the small intestine — often the site of disturbance in IBS, according to recent scientific and clinical evidence — PO provides direct relief from abdominal pain, discomfort, and distention. Unlike previous PO capsules which often ruptured in the stomach before providing relief, IBgard®, the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation-certified product, uses capsules with site-specific targeting technology to deliver microspheres of I-Menthol in the small intestine providing fast and effective relief of IBS symptoms within 24 hours.

The supplement is made with a triple-coated microsphere formulation, introduced in Canada in 2016 after rigorous clinical research in the US. Of the 285 patients tested, more than 80 percent reported high satisfaction, with many experiencing a reduction in symptoms within two hours of ingestion. "IBgard® presents my current and future patients with more treatment options to combat the distressing symptoms that IBS sufferers live with,” says Dr. Michael Epstein, Principal Physician at Digestive Disorders Associates and Fellow in the American Gastroenterology Association and the American College of Gastroenterology.

As with many conditions, though there are solutions on the market, many patients are unable to explore them without self-advocacy. If you have IBS, speak to your health care professional for more information about treating its symptoms naturally.