Alarm in the intestine
When the gut is under constant stress

 Dr. med. Thomas Rau, June 2024

Some time ago, our Academy and Marketing Director did some Google research to find out what (apart from Covid) was the most frequently searched topic. To my great astonishment, it was "irritable bowel syndrome"! 

Between 15% and 20% of people suffer from digestive problems, with women being affected slightly more often than men. Genetic predispositions, stress, the type of diet and environmental influences are considered to trigger or exacerbate the symptoms.

It is also repeatedly claimed that these "unclear bowel disorders" are mainly caused by psychological problems! However, when I look at our patients, irritable bowel syndrome has its causes in causes that cannot be found with the usual conventional medical examinations (endoscopy, blood laboratory, X-ray) and are therefore interpreted as "psychovegetative".
 
Irritable bowel syndrome with its typical symptoms usually indicates a disorder of the intestinal flora - today called "endobioma" - which is expressed locally, but also in the gut-brain axis via the vagus nervous system.
Inflammation in the intestinal wall and peristalsis that is no longer in balance are the frequent consequences of this disturbed intestinal flora.
Only stool tests and very specific, new laboratory tests (as we carry out at Sonnenberg) as well as the autonomic nervous system (ANS) tests carried out at Sonnenberg can reveal the problem.
Gastroscopies and colonoscopies are useless, as are MRIs and X-rays.

Consequences of damaged intestinal flora

Another consequence, or cause, is the very common problem of "leaky gut syndrome", in which the mucous membrane of the small intestine is damaged and made more permeable by preservatives, high sugar consumption and sweet drinks, as well as antibiotics and other medications.
The food is then no longer fully digested and enters the lymph and bloodstream as antigenic molecules. The result is an overreaction of the intestinal immune system, which can lead to allergies.
Leaky gut syndrome can be detected in the blood (zonulin, lymphocyte typing, immunoglobulins) and can be detected in the special stool test, but also in the dark field microscopy of the vital blood. 

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and flatulence affect the well-being of those affected. The main symptoms of abdominal pain and cramps in the mid-abdominal area have a particularly stressful effect on everyday life.
Changes in bowel habits from diarrhea to constipation as well as changes in the consistency, frequency and form of bowel movements are typical for people with irritable bowel syndrome. It is also typical that certain foods cannot be tolerated.

What are the known causes?

The gut-brain axis: The enteric nervous system (ENS) runs through the gastrointestinal tract with over 100 million nerve cells. The ENS and brain are constantly exchanging information. The vagus nerve is the dedicated line, so to speak, and regulates digestion, breathing and heart rate. Its release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine has a calming effect on digestion and the heart.
Countless other messenger substances, such as the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine or the peptides cholecystokinin and ghrelin, are involved in the overall exchange of information. This exchange via the bloodstream is also important in regulating mood and, together with the function of the vagus nerve, shows how deep the interaction between physical and mental health is.
 
The microbiome = the intestinal flora:  The modern diet, which is rich in animal protein and sugar, changes the intestinal bacteria, especially those that normally form a dense protective film inside the intestine and are involved in digestion. The frequent use of antibiotics also promotes the destruction of the intestinal flora.
The intestinal flora and the integrity of the small intestine mucosa must therefore be checked in every irritable bowel syndrome patient and a longer-lasting build-up is usually necessary. (We use the very effective EM-ferment and NEURO-sana products from our range for this purpose).
 
The glycocalyx: This wafer-thin membrane is located on the inside along the entire intestine, especially in the small intestine, and forms a "seal", so to speak, with a tiny pore size of approx. 7-12 angstroms. These tiny pores allow only the molecules that have been fully digested to enter the body.
An extremely large number of people no longer have this membrane and the inside of the small intestine is no longer tight enough. Bacteria and antigenic substances and toxins can be absorbed, which are very disruptive in the body. "Silent" inflammation, cramps, toxic stress and pychovegetative symptoms are the result. We have specific tests for the integrity of the glycocalyx and also for toxic and inflammatory stresses.
 
Psychological factors: Persistent or acute stress or trauma, depression or anxiety disorders can trigger irritable bowel syndrome and lead to imbalances in the gut-brain axis. However, the same applies here: The psyche and the body are inextricably linked. And I have to say quite clearly: with consistent therapy of the above-mentioned factors, psychological stress can also be tolerated much better. It is therefore not right to simply assume that "it's all psychological" for all the many irritable bowel syndrome patients!

 Biological medicine in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

The colonization of the human or intestine with a variety of microorganisms, which enable a calming and restoration of the intestinal balance, requires a change in diet. The small intestine is healed by switching to a hypoallergenic, alkaline diet, as this also supplies it with polysaccharide and phospholipid molecules, which the small intestine needs to build up the glycocalix. We achieve effective colonization with microorganisms with Dr. Rau's EM ferment, for example. In addition, further support with Neuro sana proves to be effective, especially in the case of chronic imbalances.
 
Irritable bowel patients therefore usually experience a massive improvement in their symptoms within a few weeks - "rebuilding" the bowel takes a few weeks to 3-6 months, but is almost always possible, even in the presence of clear "silent inflammation".