Your Cart is Empty
Bloating is a common digestive complaint, affecting millions of people worldwide. Imbalances in the gut microbiome often cause it. We look at how human milk oligosaccharides could offer a natural solution to combat bloating by modulating the gut environment.
We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. That uncomfortable feeling of fullness where your belly feels like it’s about to explode or that a balloon inside is slowly inflating. Bloating is very common with around 18% of the general population experiencing it.
For some, bloating isn’t the only gastro symptom they experience. Often bloating can be accompanied by pain, gas, and feeling sick[i]. Bloating may occur for several reasons, including swallowing lots of air when you eat, wearing loose-fitting dentures, and an imbalanced gut microbiome.
When your gut microbiome is off-kilter it’s called dysbiosis and one of the most common symptoms is bloating. Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are very common with approximately 40% of the world’s population being affected. That’s a staggering number of people battling gastrointestinal symptoms including bloating regularly.
Bloating is very common with around 18% of the global population experiencing it at least once per week. According to research by Ballou et al (2023), Romania reports the largest bloating prevalence of 26% compared to just 8% in China.
Figure 1.Prevalence of bloating across the world. Across the world regions, Latin America has the highest prevalence of bloating, closely followed by Europe while East Asia has the lowest. Source: Ballou et al. (2023)
There are many different causes of bloating. Most are lifestyle-related and often go away on their own or can be combatted with lifestyle changes. However, sometimes it can be caused by an underlying medical condition.
Some potential bloating causes are:
|
Gas |
Medical cause |
Serious causes |
|
|
|
There is a distinct link between the gut microbiome and bloating. Many studies have focused on people with IBS, demonstrating differences in the composition of the microbiomes of IBS patients and healthy controls. Ringel-Kulka and colleagues (2016) demonstrated an association between the intestinal microbiota of IBS patients and abdominal bloating and bowel habits[ii].
Further studies have shown that treating bloating with the antibiotic, rifaximin, is a successful and safe treatment for IBS patients which further suggests that the gut microbiota plays a role in the onset of bloating[iii].
Some of the most prolific gas producers in the gut are:
When you eat fibrous foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and pulses, they travel largely untouched and undigested through the GI tract to the colon, where bacteria are ready and waiting to break them down.
As they are broken down and transformed into useful metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane are released as bi-products. Together, these gases account for 99% of intestinal gas and can lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating and wind[v].
Figure 2. Fibrous foods are broken down by gut microbes and transformed into beneficial metabolites. During the fermentation process, gases are released which can build up and lead to bloating. Source: Mutuyemungu et al. (2023)
If you Google bloating remedies, the chances are you’ll be hit with pages and pages of probiotics. A systematic review published in 2018 which included 37 studies concluded that some specific probiotics could provide relief for some IBS symptoms[vi].
Another review published in 2021 concluded that some research had found that probiotics such as Lactobacillus casei strain GG, L. plantarum, and L. reuterihad no effect on bloating symptoms. While other studies found that L. sporogensand Bacillus coagulanscould improve bloating severity[vii]. Bifidobacteriumspecies have also been shown to be effective in improving IBS symptoms including bloating[viii].
However, probiotics are not the only potential solution for easing tummy distention, prebiotics like human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) may also improve the uncomfortableness of bloating.
HMOs are the sugar component found in human breast milk and belong to a group of carbohydrates called glycans. They also help to nourish the beneficial bacteria residing in the colon, making them an example of a prebiotic.
Although much research has been conducted that demonstrates the benefits of HMOs for infants and adults in terms of the composition of the gut microbiome, the gut barrier integrity, and immunity, there is also promising research surrounding their impact on IBS symptoms.
A multicenter, open-label trial involving 317 IBS patients demonstrated that a 5g daily intake of the HMOs, 2’-fucosyllactose (2’FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), in a 4:1 mix improved overall IBS severity scores and health-related quality of life, suggesting that HMOs could be a novel approach to tackling IBS-related symptoms including bloating[ix].
Irribarren and Co. had previously found that a 10g daily combination of 2’FL and LNnT also increased the abundance of Bifidobacteriumspp without increasing the severity of IBS symptoms[x]. This increase in Bifidonumbers is one of the proposed mechanisms of action for HMOs, especially as IBS patients typically have a low abundance of Bifidobacteria[xi].Therefore, HMOs could restore balance in the gut, leading to an improvement in bloating.
Well, we can answer that thanks to a recent customer survey.
We recently asked our customers a series of 21 questions to find out how they felt about specific aspects of their health before and after taking our PureHMO products. One of those health aspects was bloating which incidentally had the highest symptom severity score before PureHMO use.
First, we asked consumers what area of health they expected PureHMO to solve, and an overwhelming majority (65%) responded with gut health. Therefore, suggesting that the prebiotic potential of HMOs to modulate the gut microbiome for better colonic health was of great importance.
The bloating severity scores were reduced following the use of PureHMOs (Fig.3). Overall, our research found that there was a 43% decrease in the average bloating severity score once PureHMO products had been initiated by our customers.
Figure 3.Bloating severity scores before and after PureHMO use.
One customer stated that their bloating severity score was 100 before HMO supplementation but this improved 100% after using PureHMOs, with their score falling to 0. Just 4% of respondents stated that their bloating severity scores had worsened following PureHMO use.
Read the full results here.
If you’re interested in exploring how the PureHMO range could help improve your bloating symptoms then look no further.
 |
|
 |
PureHMO IBS Support with IBS Defend Probiotic
|
 |
|
Bloating is a widespread digestive complaint that’s often linked to imbalances in the gut microbiome, but research highlights that human milk oligosaccharides could potentially provide relief. By selectively feeding beneficial bacteria and promoting a healthier gut environment, HMOs offer a natural, science-backed solution for anyone looking to reduce bloating and improve their gut health. Our recent customer research shows that our PureHMO range can have a significant impact on the quality of life of bloating sufferers.
Written by: Leanne Edermaniger, M.Sc. Leanne is a professional science writer who specializes in human health and enjoys writing about all things related to the gut microbiome.
[i] Ballou S, Singh P, Nee J, Rangan V, Iturrino J, Geeganage G, Löwe B, Bangdiwala SI, Palsson OS, Sperber AD, Lembo A, Lehmann M. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Bloating: Results From the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study. Gastroenterology. 2023 Sep;165(3):647-655.e4. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.05.049. Epub 2023 Jun 13. PMID: 37315866; PMCID: PMC10527500.
[ii] Ringel-Kulka T, Benson AK, Carroll IM, Kim J, Legge RM, Ringel Y. Molecular characterization of the intestinal microbiota in patients with and without abdominal bloating. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 2016 Mar 15;310(6). doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00044.2015
[iii] Sharara AI, Aoun E, Abdul-Baki H, Mounzer R, Sidani S, Elhajj I. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of rifaximin in patients with abdominal bloating and flatulence. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Feb;101(2):326-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00458.x. PMID: 16454838.
[iv] Mutuyemungu E, Singh M, Liu S, Rose DJ. Intestinal gas production by the gut microbiota: A Review. Journal of Functional Foods. 2023 Jan;100:105367. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2022.105367
[v] Mutuyemungu E, Singh M, Liu S, Rose DJ. Intestinal gas production by the gut microbiota: A Review. Journal of Functional Foods. 2023 Jan;100:105367. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2022.105367
[vi] Hungin AP, Mulligan C, Pot B, Whorwell P, Agréus L, Fracasso P, Lionis C, Mendive J, Philippart de Foy JM, Rubin G, Winchester C, de Wit N; European Society for Primary Care Gastroenterology. Systematic review: probiotics in the management of lower gastrointestinal symptoms in clinical practice -- an evidence-based international guide. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Oct;38(8):864-86. doi: 10.1111/apt.12460. Epub 2013 Aug 27. PMID: 23981066; PMCID: PMC3925990.
[vii] Lacy BE, Cangemi D, Vazquez-Roque M. Management of chronic abdominal distension and bloating. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2021 Feb;19(2). doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056
[viii] Whorwell PJ, Altringer L, Morel J, Bond Y, Charbonneau D, O'Mahony L, Kiely B, Shanahan F, Quigley EM. Efficacy of an encapsulated probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 in women with irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jul;101(7):1581-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00734.x. PMID: 16863564.
[ix] Palsson OS, Peery A, Seitzberg D, Amundsen ID, McConnell B, Simrén M. Human Milk Oligosaccharides Support Normal Bowel Function and Improve Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Multicenter, Open-Label Trial. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2020 Dec;11(12):e00276. doi: 10.14309/ctg.0000000000000276. PMID: 33512807; PMCID: PMC7721220.
[x] Iribarren C, Törnblom H, Aziz I, Magnusson MK, Sundin J, Vigsnaes LK, Amundsen ID, McConnell B, Seitzberg D, Öhman L, Simrén M. Human milk oligosaccharide supplementation in irritable bowel syndrome patients: A parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2020 Oct;32(10):e13920. doi: 10.1111/nmo.13920. Epub 2020 Jun 14. PMID: 32536023.
[xi] Rodiño-Janeiro BK, Vicario M, Alonso-Cotoner C, Pascua-García R, Santos J. A Review of Microbiota and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Future in Therapies. Adv Ther. 2018 Mar;35(3):289-310. doi: 10.1007/s12325-018-0673-5. Epub 2018 Mar 1. PMID: 29498019; PMCID: PMC5859043.
