When it comes to successfully treating irritable bowel syndrome, it is more effective to make dietary changes than to rely on medication.
A new study involving experts from the University of Gothenburg compared the effects of two restrictive dietary treatment options for irritable bowel syndrome with those of optimized drug treatment. The results can be read in the journal “Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology”.
Typical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
Those affected by irritable bowel syndrome often suffer from abdominal pain, flatulence, a feeling of fullness, diarrhea and constipation, which occur in different combinations and degrees of severity, the researchers explain.
What role does nutrition play?
When treating irritable bowel syndrome, those affected are often given nutritional recommendations, such as avoiding excessive consumption of trigger foods (e.g. coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks) or advice to eat more frequent and smaller meals, according to the Experts continue.
However, irritable bowel syndrome can also be treated with medication to relieve symptoms such as flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain. According to the researchers, antidepressants are sometimes even used.
To find out which type of four-week treatment is more effective for irritable bowel syndrome, the team now examined people with irritable bowel syndrome who were assigned to one of three groups with almost 100 participants each.
What nutritional recommendations were given?
Participants in the first group received only traditional dietary recommendations that focused primarily on low intake of fermentable carbohydrates, which are present in foods such as lactose-containing products, legumes, onions and grains and ferment in the large intestine, which can cause pain in irritable bowel syndrome The experts.
The participants in the second group consumed a low-carbohydrate diet with a relatively high proportion of proteins and fats, while the third group received the best possible medication that was tailored to the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, the researchers continued.
Fewer complaints with proper nutrition
According to the experts, it was found that the participants in the first group, who received nutritional advice typical of irritable bowel syndrome and paid attention to a low content of fermentable carbohydrates, had 76 percent fewer symptoms.
According to the researchers, a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein and fat reduced the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by 71 percent, and drug treatment only led to a reduction in symptoms by 58 percent.
Quality of life significantly improved
Overall, participants in all groups reported a significantly improved quality of life, fewer physical complaints and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, the experts added.
At a follow-up examination after six months, the benefits of the dietary changes were still noticeable, although some of the participants went back to their previous eating habits, the team explains.
A large proportion of these participants still showed clinically significant relief of symptoms, which was 68 percent in the group with traditional nutritional advice and low intake of fermentable carbohydrates and 60 percent in the group with the low-carbohydrate diet.
Central role of nutrition in irritable bowel syndrome
“With this study we can show that nutrition plays a central role in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, but that there are also several effective alternative treatment methods,” emphasizes study author Sanna Nybacka in a press release.
Further research is now needed to find out how best to personalize the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers add that it should also be investigated whether there are factors that can predict the response to different treatment options. (as)
