IBS could be a form of ‘gravity intolerance’, according to a new hypothesis

A gastroenterologist has argued that irritable bowel syndrome is triggered by the body’s inability to manage gravity.

Brennan Spiegel from Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles outlined a new hypothesis as to why some people suffer from IBS.

IBS affects approximately 10 per cent of the UK population, but there is no solely accepted reason as to its cause.

In his paper, published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, Spiegel argues that if our body’s usual management of gravity fails, our diaphragm can slip down and compress our intestines, possibly causing issues such as “cramping, lightheadedness, sweating, rapid heartbeat and back issues” as well as bacterial overgrowth.

“Our nervous system also evolved in a world of gravity, and that might explain why many people feel abdominal ‘butterflies’ when anxious,” says Spiegel.

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“It’s curious that these ‘gut feelings’ also occur when falling toward Earth, like when dropping on a roller coaster or in a turbulent airplane. The nerves in the gut are like an ancient G-force detector that warns us when we’re experiencing - or about to experience - a dangerous fall. It’s just a hypothesis, but people with IBS might be prone to over predicting G-force threats that never occur.”

What this means is that we are hardwired to react negatively to situations where the pull of gravity might harm us, such as walking to the edge of a cliff. The amygdala in our brain is key to fear and stress responses, and too much fear and stress can result in the amygdala overreacting to potential threats. Essentially, Spiegel believes that IBS is a result of an overreactive amygdala. Interestingly, overreactive amygdala activity has been found to have a link with those who suffer from IBS.

However, there are holes in Spiegel’s claims - mainly that it is simply a hypothesis, and no experiments or tests have been conducted. Of his theory he said, “it’s meant to be a new way of thinking about old ideas".

David C. Kunkel, a gastroenterologist at UC San Diego, said that if an inability to properly react to and manage gravity was the case, then it would be expected that those who live at sea level, where G-force is slightly weaker, would be more likely to have IBS. However, that is not the case with countries such as Iceland having high rates of IBS amongst their population.

The gravity hypothesis is just a “thought experiment” without direct research, but Spiegel hopes to encourage new was of thinking when it comes to looking at how treat IBS.

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