Question: Will IBS cause me to lose or gain weight?
Answer: Weight loss or gain is not a typical symptom of IBS. On occasion, a person with IBS might try to cope with the disorder by strictly restricting what he or she eats, resulting in weight loss. However, this is NOT recommended as a treatment for IBS, as it could result in malnutrition. One of the common misconceptions with IBS is the role of specific foods in causing the disease. Although some foods may be poorly tolerated, true food allergies are rare in both the general and the IBS population. Rather than focus solely on specific foods as triggers, it is important to pay attention to other factors that may be exacerbating symptoms such as stress, hormonal changes, or eating a large or fatty meal.
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