Adding soluble fiber to a person’s diet reduces abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These fibers can be found in psyllium and in vegetables and fruit. In February 2008, René Bijkerk stated this in his doctoral thesis; today the results of his study are published in the British Medical Journal online.
Bijkerk says: “This means international recognition for our work and will also lead to changes in the treatment approach of IBS at international level. As far as the Netherlands is concerned, we are developing a multidisciplinary guideline for the treatment of IBS. It goes without saying that we will take the results published in the BMJ into account”.
University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht has previously reported on Bijkerk’s research.