Irritable bowel syndrome, commonly called IBS, is one of the most common digestive disorders.
Millions of people live with repeated stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, or changing bowel habits that can seriously affect work, sleep, and quality of life.
Despite how common the condition is, there is still no single test that can diagnose IBS or cure it. Treatment usually focuses on managing symptoms because scientists have not fully understood what causes the disorder.
A major international study has now uncovered a surprising clue. Instead of looking only at the gut and the brain, researchers found evidence that the body’s fat metabolism may also play an important role.
Their findings were published in the journal Gut by a team led by Professor Mauro D’Amato from LUM University and CIC bioGUNE.
Scientists have long known that IBS is connected with the gut-brain axis, the two-way communication system linking the digestive tract with the brain. This helps explain why anxiety, stress, and depression are often seen alongside IBS. However, many patients continue to experience symptoms that cannot be fully explained by nerve signalling alone.
To search for new answers, researchers examined genetic information from more than 2.7 million people collected through 22 international biobanks, including UK Biobank, FinnGen, Million Veteran Program, and All of Us. By comparing people with and without IBS, they identified 35 genetic regions that increased the likelihood of developing the condition.
Some of these genes affected the nervous system, but others pointed somewhere unexpected: the body’s handling of fats. The scientists found strong evidence linking IBS risk with higher blood levels of triglycerides. Triglycerides are fats that the body stores for energy, but high levels can increase the risk of heart disease and other metabolic disorders.
One gene attracted particular attention. Known as GCKR, it helps control the way the liver processes sugar and fat. A common genetic variation in this gene was associated with increased triglyceride production and a higher risk of IBS. This suggests that liver function and metabolism may influence digestive symptoms more than previously thought.
The researchers also explored whether existing medicines could target these newly discovered pathways. Their computer analysis identified several drugs currently used for cardiovascular disease and abnormal blood fats that might eventually be repurposed for IBS.
Although these medicines have not yet been tested for IBS, the findings provide a starting point for future clinical research.
Overall, this study challenges the traditional view that IBS is simply a gut-brain disorder. Instead, it supports a more complete picture that includes metabolism and liver health. The study’s greatest strength is its enormous international dataset, making the genetic results highly reliable.
However, genetic links do not automatically prove cause and effect, and more research is needed to determine whether lowering triglycerides can reduce IBS symptoms. If future studies confirm these findings, they could lead to more personalised care and entirely new treatment options for people living with IBS.
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