IBS Scope in Dubai and United Arab Emirates

The proportion of UAE residents affected by IBS has not been reported so far. However, there is an interesting recent report that evaluated the occurrence of
IBS in medical students at the University of Sharjah. The researchers found that
17% of these future doctors were affected by IBS. Perhaps some of them would be interested in doing an internship in my clinic! In this study, IBS was more frequent in students who had higher anxiety, stress and who smoked. Although further studies are needed to know the exact impact of IBS in the UAE, my humble hypothesis would be that it is similar to the rest of the world. At least, this is what I am seein
in my daily practice.

In the UAE, you can find people from almost every country on Earth, so this
diversity adds to the diversity of IBS sufferers in the country. Many expats who
come here carry with them IBS from their original country. Moreover, IBS is known
to affect more younger persons, especially young women. As we know, the population of UAE is greatly influenced by the presence of young foreign workforce, who constitute people that are more vulnerable to the development of IBS.

Some factors specific to the UAE might impact IBS here, positively or negatively.
For example, we know that the environment may impact IBS. Let’s face it, the environment here is unique and during the summer months can be quite difficult
to handle. The heat and humidity can exacerbate some IBS symptoms. On the
other hand, sunshine is plentiful here and may have a positive impact on reducing symptoms. Bright sunlight positively affects mood and reduces depression and anxiety, as well as increases vitamin D in the body. This is true provided your skin
is mildly exposed to sunlight regularly. There is no need to seek a deep tan, which has a lot of negative effects! We know that vitamin D reduces inflammation and there is some moderate evidence that it may reduce IBS symptoms and improve quality of life.

Diet is another factor that greatly influences IBS symptoms, I think most people
who suffer from the syndrome will agree! Dietary habits are greatly variable between individuals. However, we know that many of us here tend to skip breakfast and eat late at night, it is part of the lifestyle. While these habits are sometimes necessary to comply with the high demands of daily life, your IBS will not like it. Spicy food and foods high in fermentable components (called FODMAPs), such as local favorites hummus, falafel, as well as onions and garlic, are all known to cause flares in IBS. Another lifestyle factor to consider is stress. It is widely recognized that stress is strongly associated with IBS, I will explain why in another blog post. With some willpower, it is always possible to make some changes in dietary habits and lifestyle, all the while continuing to enjoy life here with less IBS.

One more very important factor to consider though is the fact that in Dubai and in the rest of the UAE, you have many opportunities to treat IBS if you have it. Luckily, the country has some of the best doctors in the world and the healthcare system is top notch. In addition, you can find all the necessary treatments and medications
for IBS, with a few exceptions that we will discuss in further blog posts. Also, you can find most additional non-medical interventions that are scientifically known to alleviate symptoms of IBS, including diet therapies, acupuncture, among others. Unfortunately, you can also find a significant amount of unproven and non-beneficial therapies that are advertised, so it is important that you stay well informed about what is safe and effective when dealing with IBS. I do have an open mind, and I do believe that certain holistic approaches can be used. Most importantly, these approaches should be used in conjunction with medical care, as long as they are safe and potentially effective.