2 pounds probiotic drink may help beat 'bowel hell'

London, August 1 (ANI): An affordable probiotic drink costing just 2 pounds-a-day could improve the lives of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferers.

For up to 12 million people in England struggling with the painful condition, 'Symprove' could be an answer to their woes.

Top digestion doctor Professor Ingvar Bjarnason from King's College Hospital, London, who carried out the clinical trials, claimed that 60 percent of IBS sufferers found their symptoms were eased after taking the drink.

Symprove is a barley-based drink, which attacks harmful stomach bacteria.

"This is a real breakthrough and patients showed a marked improvement in their lifestyle," the Mirror quoted him as saying.

"It had a most profound impact and for the first time ever we saw people becoming symptom-free and that is very exciting.

About 70 percent of IBS patients are women who suffer in silence due to lack of effective treatments.

Hospital visits can involve invasive treatments, which cost the National Health Service 3,000 pounds each and often do not find a cause or successful medication.

"The financial cost of IBS is horrendous," he said.

"Apart from the misery it causes patients, it is one of the top causes of absenteeism.

" IBS causes cramping abdominal pains, bloating and bowel problems and is up there with back pain as the biggest cause of time off work and it costs us 40million pounds a year," he added. (ANI)