Vitamin D supplements could ease irritable bowel syndrome

Vitamin D supplements could ease painful Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS symptoms. Scientists from the University's Department of Oncology and Metabolism reviewed and integrated all available research on vitamin D and IBS. The study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBS patients. They also assessed the possible benefits of vitamin D supplements on IBS symptoms. Their findings suggested supplements may help to ease symptoms which can include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Vitamin D was shown to have the most benefit on quality of life in IBS.

People with IBS should have their vitamin D levels tested and a large majority of them would benefit from supplements. IBS is a poor condition which impacts severely on the quality of life of sufferers. There is no single known cause and no cure. IBS is a debilitating functional disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Little is known about why and how the condition develops, although it is known that diet and stress can make symptoms worse.

Vitamin D is essential for general wellbeing, including bone health, immune function, mental health as well as gut health. Vitamin D inadequacy can be remedied relatively easily with supplements if diagnosed. Low vitamin D status has already been associated with the risk of colorectal cancer and has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease.
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Birth control shot increases the risk of HIV

Transitioning away from a popular contraceptive shot known as DMPA could help protect women in Sub-Saharan Africa and other high-risk regions from becoming infected with HIV, according to a research review. The predominant contraceptive in Sub-Saharan Africa is depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) -- a birth control shot administered every three months.

Human studies suggest DMPA use may raise the risk of HIV infection by 40 percent. Other forms of contraceptive shots do not show the same correlation with HIV infection. Increasing availability of contraceptives that use a different form of the female hormone progestin than the one found in DMPA could help reduce the risk of HIV transmission. In addition to these clinical studies, the review's authors examined animal, cell and biochemical research on the form of progestin used in DMPA -- medroxprogesterone acetate, or MPA.

The analysis revealed MPA acts differently than other forms of progestin used in contraceptives. MPA behaves like the stress hormone cortisol in the cells of the genital tract that can come in contact with HIV. The increased rate of HIV infection among women using DMPA contraceptive shots is likely due to multiple reasons, including decreases in immune function and the protective barrier function of the female genital tract.
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