Bifantis Effective for Women with IBS

The probiotic (or "good" bacteria) Bifidobacteriuminfantis 35624 (Bifantis) hasproven effective in the management ofirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women.The randomized, double-blind, doserangingstudy of 362 women with IBSreceived either a Bifantis capsule orplacebo once a day for 4 weeks. Thepatients, who ranged in age from 18 to65 years, recorded any abdominal pain,bloating, incomplete evacuation, strainingat stool, flatulence, and bowel habitsatisfaction. They also assessed anyrelief of IBS symptoms. After 4 weeks,Bifantis had proved "significantly superiorto placebo" for the relief of abdominalpain, bloating, incomplete evacuation,straining, and flatulence. No significantadverse events were recorded. The studyappeared in the July 2006 issue of theAmerican Journal of Gastroenterology.

Ms. Farley is a freelance medicalwriter based in Wakefield, RI.