Irritable bowel syndrome / Experts: What to avoid

2024-09-29 16:54:00, Shëndeti CNA

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common gastrointestinal condition that affects thousands of people worldwide, causing unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. One of the basic instructions that doctors give to patients today is related to diet, pointing out the "sinful" and forbidden foods that you should not consume in your daily life. More specifically, the official dietary recommendation that patients with the syndrome follow to manage their symptoms so far is a dietary plan known as the FODMAP diet. It is a strict dietary regimen, which excludes certain carbohydrates, including gluten and lactose, that restricts patients quite a bit, depriving them of their favorite foods.

However, new scientific data may provide a solution to this difficult problem, as a simpler dietary change may be just as effective, according to a new study. In particular, research findings, published in Nutrients, reveal that reducing the intake of sugars and starches is as effective in improving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as the widely recommended FODMAP diet. The research also highlighted benefits such as greater weight loss and reduced sugar cravings, offering a promising alternative for managing the syndrome.

The research was prompted by a genetic discovery that showed many patients have a variant that affects their ability to break down sugars and starches in the gut. Led by Dr. Bodil Ohlsson's research team first examined the effects of a reduced starch and sucrose diet (SSRD) in a smaller study involving 105 patients with irritable bowel syndrome. During the 4 weeks, the participants were asked to significantly reduce their intake of sugars and starches, avoiding, among other things, processed foods and sugary foods. The results showed a significant reduction in symptoms of the syndrome, raising hopes for the effectiveness of this nutritional approach.

Based on this evidence, the new study sought to directly compare the SSRD with the FODMAP diet. In 2022, 155 randomly selected patients with irritable bowel syndrome were asked to follow either the SSRD or the FODMAP diet for 4 weeks. Unlike the strict FODMAP guidelines, which require strict adherence to a list of allowed foods, the SSRD allowed more flexibility: patients could eat a variety of foods, just in smaller amounts, while always maintaining a reduced intake of sugars and starch. Despite the different approaches, both diets produced similar results. Symptoms of the syndrome improved in 75-80% of participants.

While both diets were effective in reducing symptoms of the syndrome, SSRD provided some additional benefits. Participants who followed this diet experienced greater weight loss over 4 weeks and reported a significant reduction in sugar cravings. According to dr. Ohlsson, this is particularly encouraging, as patients with irritable bowel syndrome tend to weigh more on average than healthy people.

Unlike the FODMAP diet, the SSRD is also much easier to follow.

A simpler solution for patients

For sufferers, managing symptoms through diet can be difficult, especially with restrictive plans such as the FODMAP diet. New findings offer a simpler and more viable option. By limiting sugars and starches, they can experience the same symptom relief while enjoying additional benefits like weight loss and reduced cravings – all without the complexity of a restrictive diet. “SSRD is easy to follow. You can eat everything, only some of them in smaller quantities", emphasized the expert./ CNA