Diarrhoea, abdominal pain, flatulence, bowel discomfort and nausea are all common Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms that can make everyday life miserable, causing ongoing discomfort and often embarrassment for those affected.
The good news is that silicolgel can help, as a new clinical trial, published in the peer reviewed clinical journal, Neurogastroenterology & Motility,1has shown that more than 90% of patients gained effective relief from IBS types IBS-D (diarrhoea predominant) and IBS-M (mixed bowel) symptoms when treated over four weeks with silicol®gel.
Those with the most severe IBS before taking silicol®gel gained the greatest benefit after the four week treatment period, reducing their IBS status classification from ‘Moderate’ to ‘Mild’.
The number of days where loose stools (diarrhoea) were experienced, reduced from 3.95 days per week before treatment to 0.58 days per week after four weeks on silicol®gel.
Even better, the symptom relief resulted in improved quality of life.
IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders seen in primary and secondary care.2,3,4 This challenging condition significantly reduces an individual’s quality of life and negatively impacts social functioning and the ability to work, particularly among people with IBS-D and IBS-M.5,6
Silicolgel is an established CE certified Class II medical device approved for relief of gastrointestinal disorders, including IBS, and has been marketed in the UK and European markets for over a decade.7 Available in the form of an oral gel containing colloidal silicic acid, it coats the digestive tract with a protective lining and adsorbs harmful molecules acting locally in the gut. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of silicolgel in patients with sub-types IBS-D and IBS-M which comprise over 60% of IBS sufferers. 8
This new trial recruited 120 patients with IBS-D and IBS-M, all with a confirmed diagnosis of IBS-D or IBS-M. Split into two groups of 60 people each, one group was treated with silicolgel, the other with a placebo gel. Neither group knew which treatment they had been given to ensure the blind nature of the trial.
Each group took 15ml of their gel treatment, three times daily for a period of four weeks, recording their bowel habits, stomach pain, quality of life and global symptoms weekly on IBS SSS (symptom severity score) questionnaires and patient daily diaries which were verified by the trial investigators at in-clinic visits.
After four weeks of treatment, 91.67 % of patients receiving silicolgel reported significant reduction in their IBS, compared to just 20% of patients in the placebo group.
We asked renowned Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology, and author of ‘Take Control of your IBS’, Professor Peter Whorwell to comment on the findings of the new research.
He says: “IBS sufferers not only endure a range of embarrassing gastrointestinal symptoms including faecal incontinence, but also experience other problems such as fatigue, joint pains and psychological symptoms such as anxiety because of the intrusiveness of their condition.3,9,10,11,12,13,14
“In this trial, many patients treated with the silicic acid gel experienced a significant reduction in the IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS SSS) with their severity changing from moderate to mild. Their bowel habit improved and they experienced a reduction in abdominal pain, distension, bloating, and flatulence.
Diarrhoea and a feeling of urgency to defaecate is a common feature in patients with IBS-D and IBS-M which they often rate as their worst symptom. Not surprisingly, it can significantly interfere with both their work and social life with some individuals becoming completely housebound.6,15,16
Consequently, it is noteworthy that silicic acid gel reduced the number of days where loose stools were experienced resulting in an improvement in quality of life.”
RESEARCH FACTS: How did silicolgel help?
After four weeks of treatment with silicolgel:
- Over 90% (91.67%) of IBS-D and IBS-M patients reported a significant improvement in their IBS
- Bowel Habit, Abdominal pain, Abdominal distention/bloating, and Flatulence significantly improved
- Diarrhoea reduced – the number of days where loose stools were experienced fell from 3.95 days per week to 0.58 days per week
- Patients with the most severe IBS before treatment gained the greatest benefit
- IBS status improved from Moderate to Mild
- Quality of life improved for both IBS-D and IBS-M sufferers
- There were no treatment discontinuations due to adverse events, intolerance, or hypersensitivity to ingredients, demonstrating the tolerability of silicolgel.
“In this trial, many patients treated with the silicic acid gel experienced a significant reduction in the IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS SSS) with their severity changing from moderate to mild. Their bowel habit improved and they experienced a reduction in abdominal pain, distension, bloating, and flatulence.
Diarrhoea and a feeling of urgency to defaecate is a common feature in patients with IBS-D and IBS-M which they often rate as their worst symptom. Not surprisingly, it can significantly interfere with both their work and social life with some individuals becoming completely housebound.6,15,16
Consequently, it is noteworthy that silicic acid gel reduced the number of days where loose stools were experienced resulting in an improvement in quality of life.”
IBS treatment guidelines recommend dietary advice and regular exercise.2,17 Other options include psychological interventions and pharmacological drugs which target the most common symptoms. Patients with IBS often use multiple medications, and a 2016 survey reported that from 62% of patients with IBS using two or more medicines regularly, only 21% of patients felt confident that their IBS symptoms were under control, and 34% felt that none of their symptoms were under control.18
Professor Whorwell concludes: “The results from this study add to the body of evidence 19,20,21,22suggesting that enterosorbents may play an important part in the future management of IBS-D and IBS-M where the current therapeutic options are very limited.
silicol®gel in 200ml and 500ml bottles, or 12 x 15ml travel-sized sachets can be found in supermarkets, pharmacies and health stores nationwide.
References:
[1] Kuzminska O.B, Vitkovska B.M, Shekhovtsova Y.O, Nizkoshapka O.P, Nizhenkovsky O.I, Kuvaiskov Y, C. G. Hatton, “Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-centre study to assess the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Silicol®gel in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome Type D and Type M in adults” Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 25 July, 2025
[2] Vasant DH, Paine PA, Black CJ, et al. British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 2021;70(7):1214-1240.
[3] Lovell RM, Ford AC. Global prevalence of and risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;10(7):712-721.
[4] Palsson OS, Whitehead W, Törnblom H, Sperber AD, Simren M. Prevalence of Rome IV Functional Bowel Disorders Among Adults in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Gastroenterology. 2020;158(5):1262-1273.
[5] S. Ballou and L. Keefer, “The impact of irritable bowel syndrome on daily functioning: characterizing and understanding daily consequences of IBS,” Neurogastroenterology & Motility, vol. 29, no. 4, 2017
[6] P. Singh, K. Staller, K. Barshop et al., “Patients with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea have lower disease-specific quality of life than irritable bowel syndrome-constipation,” World Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 21, no. 26, pp. 8103–8109, 2015.
[7] FW Medical Ltd. Silicolgel for gastrointestinal disorders. Accessed September 14, 2024. https://www.silicol.co.uk/
[8] Sperber AD, Bangdiwala SI, Drossman DA, et al. Worldwide Prevalence and Burden of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Results of Rome Foundation Global Study. Gastroenterology. 2021;160(1):99-114.e3.
[9] Erdrich S, Hawrelak JA, Myers SP, Harnett JE. A systematic review of the association between fibromyalgia and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2020;13:1756284820977402.
[10] Zamani M, Alizadeh-Tabari S, Zamani V. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2019;50(2):132-143
[11] Berman SM, Naliboff BD, Suyenobu B, et al. Reduced brainstem inhibition during anticipated pelvic visceral pain correlates with enhanced brain response to the visceral stimulus in women with irritable bowel syndrome. J Neurosci. 2008;28(2):349-359
[12] Piacentino D, Cantarini R, Alfonsi M, et al. Psychopathological features of irritable bowel syndrome patients with and without functional dyspepsia: a cross sectional study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2011;11:94.
[13] Lakhan SE, Kirchgessner A. Gut inflammation in chronic fatigue syndrome. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010;7:79.
[14] Patel P, Bercik P, Morgan DG, et al. Irritable bowel syndrome is significantly associated with somatization in 840 patients, which may drive bloating. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015;41(5):449-458
[15] Chang L, Ameen VZ, Dukes GE, McSorley DJ, Carter EG, Mayer EA. A dose-ranging, phase II study of the efficacy and safety of alosetron in men with diarrhea-predominant IBS. Am J Gastroenterol. 2005;100(1):115-123.
[16] Garsed K, Chernova J, Hastings M, et al. A randomised trial of ondansetron for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea. Gut. 2014;63(10):1617-1625.
[17] Black CJ, Ford AC. Best management of irritable bowel syndrome. Frontline Gastroenterol. 2020;12(4):303-315
[18] Canadian Society of Intestinal Research. Gastrointestinal Society 2016 Survey Results: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Accessed September 14, 2024. https://badgut.org/wp-content/uploads/IBS-Survey-Results-2016.pdf
[19] Crawford G, Taylor R, Young D, Hatton CG. Efficacy of the Enterosorbent Silicol®gel in Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Subtypes IBS-D or Mixed: Observational Open-Label Study. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2023;2023:3432763
[20] Tack JF, Miner PB Jr, Fischer L, Harris MS. Randomized clinical trial: the safety and efficacy of AST-120 in non-constipating irritable bowel syndrome – a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011;34(8):868-877
[21] Howell CA, Kemppinen A, Allgar V, et al. Double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial of enterosgel (polymethylsiloxane polyhydrate) for the treatment of IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D). Gut. 2022;71(12):2430-2438.
[22] Uehleke B, Ortiz M, Stange R. Silicea gastrointestinal gel improves gastrointestinal disorders: a non-controlled, pilot clinical study. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2012;2012:750750.