People suffering from a common but tough-to-treat gut disorder are discovering a growing set of treatment alternatives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two new drugs in the past year for the disorder, known as irritable bowel syndrome, which involves chronic diarrhea, constipation or both, along with abdominal cramping. It is estimated to affect about 12% of Americans, more often women than men and typically in people younger than 45, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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