A new American study finds that people who go back and forth between working days and nights are more affected by irritable bowel syndrome. It is the second most common cause of absenteeism from work or school.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects how the large intestine functions. Symptoms include constipation and diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, and bloating.
A study published online in the American Journal of Gastroenterology looked at 399 nurses. 214 of them worked days, 110 worked nights and 75 had a rotating work schedule. Nurses had to tell researchers about their stomach and sleep problems.
Researchers found that sleep problems were not linked to IBS but work schedules did have an impact.
Among nurses who worked rotating shifts, 48% were more affected by the syndrome compared to 31% who worked only days. Results stayed the same for nurses who worked nights.
81% of women who worked rotating shifts suffered from abdominal pains compared to 54% who worked days and 61% who worked nights.
Dr. Willemijntje A. Hoogerwerf from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor questions whether IBS results from "an underlying biological rhythm disorder of the intestine." She and colleagues say further study is needed to assess this possibility.