Trust your gut: How a specific gut bacteria could help people living with IBS

Kate Ng explores the link between a particular gut bacteria and a restrictive, but effective, diet that could help millions of people

Patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) usually experience stomach cramps, diarrhoea, cramping, and bloating (Getty Images)

Millions of people who live with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) could find relief in a specific diet, if they have a particular gut bacteria that could help pinpoint the right treatment, a new study has found.

Researchers said the bacteria could be used as biomarkers to help identify IBS patients who could benefit from a low-FODMAP diet, which involves avoiding certain foods that could trigger the condition.

IBS is characterised by symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation, and is usually a lifelong problem. It is thought to affect approximately one in 20 people in the UK alone, and tens of millions more around the world.