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Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

Inflammatory Bowel Disease TreatmentInflammatory Bowel Disease: Treatment for this condition is already available but for many people it doesn’t work. To improve the problem researchers are always looking for new cures, and among them is VIP peptide. VIP peptide (Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide) is a neuropeptide that acts as a neurotransmitter. In studies it regulates smooth muscle action, cell secretion and blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract. It is showing to be effective at helping these diseases. Ultimately, if you are in the research sector you can buy VIP peptide for research here.

 

 

 

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease affects people of all ages, and the most common are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. They have some similar characteristics but also quite a few differences. So, if you suspect you might have one of these diseases, you should ask a few questions.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease diagnosis

  • First, what tests show if intestinal inflammation is suspected?
  • How do I know if I have inflammatory bowel disease?
  • When should a patient see a doctor?
  • What are the causes of this condition?
  • What are the risk factors for developing chronic intestinal inflammation?
  • What complications can occur?
  • Are there preventative measures to keep our digestive tract healthy?

To help diagnose these conditions below are some of the main points a doctor will look into:

-Zonulin a faecal protein that demonstrates gut barrier integrity
-Calprotectin a stool test done to assess intestinal inflammation
-Alpha 1 antitrypsin test detects protein loss from the gut
-M2-PK -the M2 isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase and detects the presence of intestinal areas that are at high risk for developing cancer

-Faecal occult blood test indicates risk for possible diseased or cancerous lesions in the digestive tract.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease can affect the entire digestive tract length, almost always affecting the terminal part of the small intestine.

What is Ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine, usually having an ascending character, i.e. it starts from the terminal parts of the large intestine and gradually goes up.

The symptoms most often reported by patients are abdominal swelling, pain, difficulty in defecation, blood or mucus in the stool, and sudden weight loss.

Dealing with these diseases requires consultation with a doctor/gastroenterologist. In addition to the prescribed medications, a proper dietary regimen combined with sufficient physical exercise and regular bowel movements is essential.

What tests can be done if intestinal inflammation is suspected?

Some of the most widely used tests to prove these diseases are:

Faecal calprotectin
Faecal zonulin
Alpha 1 antitrypsin
Occult bleeding test

How do you know if you have inflammatory bowel disease?

The most common symptoms associated with the presence of chronic inflammatory bowel disease are:

-abdominal pain
-bloating
-blood/mucus in the stool
-diarrhoea
-temperature
-easy fatigue
-sharp weight loss

Is inflammatory bowel disease serious?

Seek medical attention if you have any of the above symptoms. A very alarming signal is blood in the stool and severe pain in the abdomen. Your doctor will decide what tests are needed.

What are inflammatory bowel disease causes

The causes of chronic intestinal inflammation are not fully understood. One of the most common theories is that inflammatory bowel diseases are immune-related. Environmental factors can be a cause, as well as family history.

What are the risk factors for developing chronic intestinal inflammation?

Risk factors to watch out for if you suspect you have a bowel problem are:

Age

The disease can develop at any age but occurs more often in young patients between 20 and 40.

Ethnic origin

Although it occurs in all ethnicities, whites, Eastern Europeans, and people of Jewish ancestry have a higher risk of developing the disease.

Family History

People with a family history of inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk of developing it.

Smoking

It is one of the controllable risk factors. In addition to being a risk factor, smoking poses a higher risk of complications and the need for surgery.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

These can lead to inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and complicate the course of the disease.

Environment

Living in an urban and industrial environment increases the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases.

What Complications can Occur?

The most common complications that occur with chronic intestinal inflammation are:

  • Intestinal obstruction
  • Ulcers – chronic inflammation can lead to mucosal scarring and bleeding. In Crohn’s disease, these ulcers can be found throughout the digestive tract
  • Fistulas –  most common are fistulas around the anus. In some cases, the fistula can become infected and form an abscess, which can be life-threatening
  • Anal fissure – soft tearing of the tissue or skin around the anus, accompanied by severe pain during defecation
  • Malnutrition – diarrhea, pain and tension in the abdomen can lead to a lack of appetite on the one hand, and insufficient absorption of nutrients from the intestines on the other. Often, patients also develop anemia due to improper iron resorption
  • Colon cancer – patients are at increased risk of developing cancer as a result of chronic inflammation

Other problems – chronic intestinal diseases can be combined with anemia, skin problems, osteoporosis, arthritis, liver diseases.

Are there preventative measures for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment?

Routine tests in blood or fecal samples would help in the prevention or early detection of diseases. If you suffer from any of the following symptoms, see a doctor:

-Indigestion, dyspepsia, diarrhea or constipation
-Fatigue, weakness, muscle and joint pain
-Mood/stress disorders

By examining several indicators related to the integrity of the intestinal barrier, you can keep a check yourself on the health of the intestine. Whether you are at risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases, at an early stage  of the disease, or keeping the disease under control.

Zonulin faeces, serum – demonstrates gut barrier integrity

Intestinal cells are connected to each other by tight junctions to create a protective barrier. These connections between cells are controlled by a protein called zonulin. A healthy intestinal barrier allows optimal absorption and transport of nutrients without activating the immune system. At the same time, a strong barrier is a guarantee of non-penetration of various pathogens through the intestinal mucosa.

If there is a disturbance in the intestinal barrier and intestinal permeability is increased, the levels of zonulin in the feces and in the blood increase. In this case, the reasons for the permeability of the intestinal barrier should be investigated.

Calprotectin – faeces – assessment of intestinal inflammation

Calprotectin is a protein produced in inflammatory the cells neutrophils. Determination of calprotectin is a very sensitive method, with the ability to show the beginning of an inflammatory process in the intestine. In inflammatory bowel diseases, the level of calprotectin in feces is greatly increased.

Alpha 1 antitrypsin test – detects protein loss from the gut

The inflammation that develops in the intestinal mucosa leads to disruption of the surface epithelium and loss of proteins to the intestinal lumen. An increase in alpha 1-antitrypsin in the stool is a symptom of protein loss through the intestinal mucosa resulting from inflammation.

M2-PK – the M2 isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase – detects the presence of intestinal areas that are at high risk for developing cancer

The tumor M2-PK test is useful in identifying intestinal lesions with an increased risk of future cancers.

Pyruvate kinase is an enzyme that normally allows the conversion of blood glucose into energy. A special form of this enzyme (type M2) plays an important role in the development of cancer. So, it increases feces levels of the indicator Tumor M2-PK. Studies show these lesions that are at risk of cancer, such as inflammatory bowel diseases and polyps.

Fecal occult blood test indicates risk for possible diseased or cancerous lesions in the digestive tract
The fecal occult blood test can detect early stage bleeding in the intestines. The cause of the bleeding can be investigated by colonoscopy and the affected area in the bowel can be detected early and treated.