Show 962: Taming the Beast in the Belly (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)

More than a million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are usually considered autoimmune conditions, although it is not necessarily clear what may trigger the immune system to attack the lining of the digestive tract.

Find out about the symptoms of IBD and how it is distinguished from IBS, irritable bowel syndrome. What role do microbiota play in this condition, and is this bowel flora amenable to changes? How could prebiotics, probiotics or fecal transplants help?

We will discuss the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and find out how physicians could tailor treatment for each individual patient. We take your calls.

Guest: R. Balfour Sartor, MD, is the Midgett Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology at the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, NC, and Director of the UNC Multidisciplinary Center for IBD Research and Treatment. He is co-director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, and was formerly chief medical advisor of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. The website is ccfa.org

The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for four weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.