Irritable bowel syndrome is a gastrointestinal disorder with no known cause. Symptoms include abdominal pain, muscle spasms, bloating and irregular bowel movements. Some individuals experience predominantly diarrhea, as opposed to constipation. For these individuals, a calcium supplement can be useful in helping to minimize diarrhea.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, leads to symptoms that include pain in the stomach and intestines, muscle cramps or spasms, bloating, diarrhea, and/or constipation. It is a disease of the gastrointestinal system; however, there is no damage to the structure of the system itself. It is thought that the intestines are sensitive and react negatively to movement, pain, particular foods and stress. Abnormal levels of serotonin may potentially play a role in the symptoms of IBS as well. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, IBS occurs in as many as one in five people in America.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome --Diarrhea
Before diagnosis, many individuals experience a change in their bowel movements. While some experience mostly constipation, others experience mostly diarrhea. This diarrhea-predominant type of IBS is referred to as IBS-D. Individuals with IBS-D frequently have loose bowel movements. Certain medications, foods, stress and large meals may exacerbate or trigger these symptoms.
Calcium
Calcium is the most commonly occurring mineral in the body. Calcium maintains strong teeth and bones and helps different systems of the body, including the nerves, muscles and heart run correctly. Certain foods contain calcium, such as dairy products, as well as supplements. Calcium helps regulate muscle functions, both contraction and relaxation. In the intestinal tract, calcium leads to constipation. In persons with IBS-D, calcium supplements can be helpful in minimizing diarrhea.
Calcium Supplements
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends that calcium supplements be taken in small doses, no more than 500 mg at one time, with several glasses of water. The body cannot absorb more than that amount at one time. The recommended dose for an adult under the age of 50 is 1,000 mg of calcium each day. There are two common types of calcium dietary supplements, calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate can reduce diarrhea. Two tablets per day is the recommended dose; however, this may be adjusted as needed for each individual as long as the recommended daily dosage is not exceeded.
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