"Prestigious international medical journal Nature publishes review article citing nonprescription IBgard as clinically supported approach in managing IBS  Latest in growing scientific and medical recognition of IBgard as an effective safe and welltolerated option in the management of IBS  IBgard mentioned alongside other mainstream IBS management options such as drug therapies nutrition and psychotherapy  Builds on a previous review article where the lead author cited peppermint oil as the most effective option in management of IBS  BOCA RATON Fla. Sept.   PRNewswire  IM HealthScience IMH today announced that the growing medical consensus on the utility of peppermint oil in Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS has been highlighted once again by comments in a recent prestigious publication Nature Reviews Disease Primers an international peerreviewed scientific journal. The publication has published a comprehensive review article exploring Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS. It included a favorable review of IBgard a novel formulation of peppermint oil developed as a medical food specifically for the dietary management of IBS.  The lead author of the review article entitled Irritable Bowel Syndrome http was Paul Enck M.D. Department of Internal Medicine VI Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Hospital Tbingen Tbingen Germany. In the section of the article discussing management options for IBS Dr. Enck and the accompanying panel of researchers stated peppermint oilis beneficial in reducing IBS symptoms. The researchers also concluded that A novel formulation of peppermint oil designed to cause sustained release in the small bowel was superior to placebo in causing a reduction in total symptoms. Nature publishes broad review articles called Primers that cover global aspects of various diseases and describe all aspects from epidemiology disease mechanisms diagnosis screening and prevention management and quality of life. The review articles are authored by an international panel of academic scientists translational researchers and clinicians.  IBS considerably affects quality of life and places an enormous burden on patients physicians and the healthcare system said Brooks D. Cash M.D. A.G.A.F. F.A.C.G. F.A.C.P. F.A.S.G.E. Professor of Medicine in the Gastroenterology Division at the University of South Alabama in Mobile Ala. The results of these studies add to the growing body of medical evidence supporting the utility of IBgard a novel formulation of peppermint oil in improving the symptoms patient satisfaction and quality of life of patients with IBS. The understanding of IBS has expanded considerably over the past decade with many new studies in part driven by the development of new therapeutic agents.   Additionally Dr. Cash was the lead study author of the IBSREST study which demonstrated that IBgard provided a statistically significant reduction in the Total IBS Symptom Score TISS in as early as  hours and at four weeks. Growing Medical Support for Peppermint Oil in the Management of IBS The World Gastroenterology Organization WGO issued global IBS guidelines in September  which recommended peppermint oil in managing IBS as a firstline therapy option. The consensus report entitled Irritable Bowel Syndrome A Global Perspective http guides health providers in the best management of IBS through recommendations based on the latest evidence and resulting from a global expert consensus process based on best current practice. An international scientific and medical review team reported that there are a range of agents available to treat IBS and physicians should be knowledgeable about the efficacy and risk profile of any option they are about to prescribe. The review team concluded that as a firstline therapy option peppermint oil is superior to placebo in improving IBS symptoms and the risk of adverse events is no greater with peppermint oil than with a placebo.  These evidencebased guidelines go through a rigorous process of authoring editing and peer review. They are available in English Spanish Portuguese French Mandarin and Russian. WGO formed in  and incorporated in  is a federation of  member societies and  regional associations of gastroenterology representing more than  individual members worldwide focusing on the improvement of standards in gastroenterology training and education on a global scale. Additionally the support from the medical community builds on a previously important review article about the use of peppermint oil in IBS. In a metaanalysis by Dr. Enck entitled Therapy Options in Irritable Bowel Syndrome httpjournals.lww.comeurojghabstracttherapy_options_in_irritable_bowel_syndrome..aspx published in The European Journal of Gastroenterology  Hepatology Dr. Enck and the authors concluded that the highest efficacy in the management of IBS is currently found in peppermint oil.  Among the thirteen IBS options that Dr. Enck and the authors reviewed only peppermint oil had the lowest NNT number needed to treat of  patients needed for one patient to benefit from the therapy.  About Irritable Bowel Syndrome One in six Americans experience Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS a frustrating underdiagnosed and undertreated condition characterized by recurrent abdominal pain often associated with alteration in stool frequency andor form. Bloating is also a common symptom experienced by patients with IBS. Recent understandings of the root causes of IBS point to gut mucosal barrier dysfunction and malabsorption.   About IBgard  IBgard is a medical food specially formulated for the dietary management of IBS. IBgard capsules contain solid state microspheres of peppermint oil including its principal component lMenthol in a unique delivery system. With its patented Site Specific Targeting SST technology pioneered by IM HealthScience IBgard capsules release Ultramen an ultrapurified peppermint oil quickly and reliably to the small intestine where its actions help manage IBS. Peppermint oil can help toward normalizing the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients which have been compromised by IBS. Peppermint oil has also been shown to normalize intestinal transit time.  IBgard was studied in a pivotal randomized placebocontrolled doubleblinded multicenter trial called the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Reduction Evaluation and Safety Trial IBSREST. The study findings were accepted by a leading peerreviewed scientific journal called Digestive Diseases and Sciences and published in February . The data showed that IBgard demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the Total IBS Symptom Score TISS in as early as  hours and at four weeks. The TISS represents a composite score of eight individual IBS symptoms. Currently there are limited options for patients with IBS that offer effective and rapid relief especially during a flareup. Over  healthcare practitioners including  gastroenterologists are estimated to have already used IBgard for their patients. In a recent nationwide survey of gastroenterologists IBgard was the number one recommended peppermint oil for IBS. Like all medical foods IBgard does not require a prescription but it must be used under medical supervision. Only doctors can diagnose IBS. The usual adult dose of IBgard is  capsules as needed up to three times a day not to exceed  capsules per day.  IBgard is available to patients in the digestive aisle at most CVSpharmacy Walgreens and Rite Aid stores nationwide and now increasingly in independent drug stores and grocery stores across the country.  About IM HealthScience IM HealthScience IMH is the innovator of IBgard for the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome. It is a privately held company based in Boca Raton Florida that is also the innovator of FDgard for the dietary management of functional dyspepsia. It was founded in  by a team of highly experienced pharmaceutical research and development and management executives. The company is dedicated to developing products to address gastrointestinal issues where there is a high unmet need. The IM HealthScience advantage comes from developing products based on its patented targeteddelivery technologies called Site Specific Targeting SST. For more information visit  http to learn about the company or  http or  http           Enck P. Aziz Q. Barbara G. Farmer A.D. Fukudo S. Mayer E.A. et al.  March  online. Irritable bowel syndrome. Nature Reviews Disease Primers  . doi .nrdp...   Copyright   World Gastroenterology Organization WGO. All rights reserved. Irritable Bowel Syndrome A Global Perspective.   Enck P. Junne F. Klosterhalfen S. Zipfel S.  Martens U. . Therapy options in irritable bowel syndrome.  European Journal of Gastroenterology  Hepatology  . doi .MEG.bea. SOURCE IM HealthScience Related Links http"