Treatment of Functional Bowel Disorders With Prebiotics and Probiotics

Functional bowel disorders (FBDs) including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC), functional diarrhea (FD), functional bloating (FB), functional abdominal pain (FAP), and unspecified FBD are the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders seen by gastroenterologists and primary care physicians. FBDs are often associated with significant detrimental effects on patients' daily functioning, work productivity, and quality of life and lead to significant socioeconomic and healthcare burden. The etiopathogenesis of FBDs are not completely understood but recent data suggest that alterations in the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota may have a role in the development of physiological abnormalities and functional GI symptoms associated with these disorders. This has led to growing interest of healthcare providers and patients in using interventions targeting the intestinal microbiota for the treatment of FBDs. In this chapter we discuss the potential role prebiotics and probiotic interventions in the treatment of FBDs. We review the evidence from clinical studies and discuss the potential benefits of the use of prebiotics and probiotics for FBDs in clinical practice.