Are probiotics helpful for pouchitis?
Are probiotics helpful for pouchitis?Answer: Pouchitis Pouchitis is a problem among those who have had j-pouch (ileal pouch-anal anastomosis) surgery for ulcerative colitis. Symptoms of pouchitis can include: • more frequent and urgent bowel movements • abdominal cramping • rectal bleeding • fever Pouchitis typically responds to treatment with antibiotics but can recur in about two thirds of patients. About 10% of patients experience recurring pouchitis that does not respond to antibiotic therapy. Researchers discovered that people who experience pouchitis have fewer beneficial bacteria, namely lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, in their digestive tract. The next logical step was to conduct trials to see whether increasing beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract would help improve the symptoms of pouchitis. Supplements of these beneficial bacterial
