The Effect of a Multispecies Probiotic on Hypersensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of IBS according to the Rome III criteria * Increased visceral perception according to barostat measurements, defined as a pain tolerance threshold at smaller than or equal to 23 mmHg * Age between 18 and 65 years * BMI between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: * Known gastro-intestinal diseases * Major abdominal surgery * Previous radiotherapy, chemotherapy * Clinical significant systemic diseases * Critically ill patients or patients suffering from severe acute pancreatitis * Patients with organs failure * Patients receiving enteral feeding * Excessive alcohol intake (greater than 15 consumptions per week) * (planned) pregnancy or lactation * Use of pre-, probiotics in the month before and during the study * Use of antibiotics in the two months before and during the study * Use of anti-diarrhoea medication, anti-laxatives or anti-acid medication in the two weeks before and during the study * Use of anti depressives (especially SSRI's) in the month before and during the study * Use of other medication if less then one month on stable dosage