Why does IBD still exist?

[Microbiomefreakdavid]

Hi all,

I am new here and have become 'obsessed' with the human microbiome..our second brain, or is it really our true brain? I am doing my utmost to get akkermansia flourishing throughout my gut, but the Area 51-like microbe..Christensenella is my main target..I want that naughty little Christensenella so bad!

My thought today asks "why if IBD is a disease/illness, that people have to keep watching what they eat, and take all kinds of medicines, GP's are unsure what the patient has wrong with them, etc, etc....."

IBD is simplistic term for Dysbiosis, and IBD is a disease of the 21 century.

I suggest we revert back to the dietary habits of our forefathers..the Hunter/foraging/ gathering tribes. Science proves they had no IBD, perfect teeth, no diabetes, no cancer, and have you seen the Hadza guys and gals?

Intermittent fasting, eating only fresh food, a plant-based diet, and being in the great outdoors more often will surely rid our high tech stressed society once and for all of the hanger-on...IBD!

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[patientj]

When you talk about IBD, I think you mean IBS. IBD is inflammatory bowel disease which is a different kettle of fish to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). IBD presents with detectable and observable inflammation of the intestine, while in IBS this isn't seen and yet sufferers still experience pain and altered bowel habits.

There is evidence that both IBS and IBD can be treated by altering the microbiome, but the reasons why this works are not understood. It could be that certain bacterial populations are too large or small so their metabolites are having a deleterious or insignificant effect on the natural functioning of the gut, for instance. It's also true that in many cases of IBS-C or IBS-D there is a distinctive difference in the populations of certain families of bacteria, but no one can say whether this causes the IBS or is a result of the IBS.

I'd also question your statement that science proves our forefathers had no cancer, no IBD, perfect teeth etc. I have no idea how archaeologists would prove or disprove our ancestors had IBD as there would be no intestine left to study. However, there have been cases of IBS recorded in the 18th century so it certainly isn't a 21st century problem.

Yes our diet has changed in the millennia since, but so have our lifestyles and anatomy. A carb-rich diet might be more necessary to feed larger brains for instance and powered our muscles as they walked in armies across continents. Centuries ago, people's resilience to disease and their personal immunology, health and strength would have been a far greater contributing factor to their survival than food, and would have created selective advantages as well. A person with IBS or IBD might not have survived for long for instance. As for cancer, that normally occurs in later life and we now live longer so there's a greater chance or humans contracting it.

It would be absurd to claim that modern life doesn't have some impact on health: I certainly wouldn't be around today if it wasn't for modern advances in medicine, healthcare and sanitation. And on the flip side, some illnesses may be more common due to other factors in the environment such as toxic fumes, antibiotics (potentially both a blessing and a curse), and anxiety.

And while I agree, and have seen the evidence, that the microbiome can influence the body, I don't think that reverting to a vegetarian, paleolithic diet is necessary or even advantageous for curing or living a healthy life, and could likely make some people who are already struggling with their diet and self image more troubled.

[Microbiomefreakdavid in reply to patientj]

You just had to be obstinate, are you a flamer? Best of luck with that.

[patientj in reply to Microbiomefreakdavid]

On the contrary, I am an IBS sufferer with a degree in biochemistry and a part-time research interest in the microbial, genetic, biochemical and neurological causes of IBS. I have blogged about the causes and treatments for IBS, guest blogged for probably the biggest IBS advocacy website in the world, and have been on Health Unlocked for about a year I think, providing support, advice and suggestions to many sufferers who are frustrated by the quality of care they have experienced from their doctors or the lack of progress they have made in their treatment.

On the other hand, you have asked a question about IBD in your first post on an IBS forum. I make no apology for earnestly trying to share some of my thoughts and observations with you. In the future, please consider what you are saying and understand who you are talking to, before choosing to disparage someone on here.