News

Treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) disorders frequently involves dietary restriction in order to manage symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain. While some dietary changes are often necessary to control symptoms, they can evolve into maladaptive behaviors and may increase risk for an eating disorder (ED). Dietary restriction that goes beyond what is needed to adequately manage symptoms is considered “excessive,” though there is often a gray area between what would be considered necessary versus unnecessary.
The bidirectional relationship between GI disorders and EDs complicates diagnosis and treatment. GI symptoms may lead to restrictive eating patterns, while ED-related diet patterns or malnutrition can exacerbate or lead to GI symptoms. Increasingly, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and ARFID-like symptoms are recognized as common presentations in GI settings. ARFID affects both physical health and psycho-social wellbeing, making accurate diagnosis and nuanced treatment vital to help patients avoid the negative impact excessive restriction can have on quality of life and nutritional status.

Prebiotic fibers support the health of the gut microbiota among those with functional GI disorders, such as IBS. Research highlights their mechanistic ability to increase beneficial short-chain fatty acids and manage inflammation, but the impact of prebiotic fiber supplementation on symptom relief varies. Although supplementation shows promise, caution is advised when introducing prebiotics in IBS patients due to their potential to exacerbate symptoms.

Research on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) remains ongoing, but many questions remain. Emerging data sheds light on a more nuanced definition of SIBO, its clinical features and optimal diagnostic methods. Amidst mixed and often low confidence evidence for treatments, medication and lifestyle interventions can provide some efficacy at symptom management.

New Partnership between digestive health brands delivers evidence-based, holistic support to the irritable bowel syndrome community.

Diet is an important trigger of GI symptoms in athletes and increased symptom severity is associated with underperformance. Proper nutrition in athletes is important to support performance and recovery, promote adequate energy intake, ensure good mental health and much more. Various tools and strategies are available to ensure proper fueling and support athletes needing to manage digestive issues. 

The low FODMAP diet is widely recognized as a cornerstone of IBS management, but recent data points to potential applications of the diet for a wider category of patients experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.

Historically, the majority of research on the low FODMAP diet in IBS has been on the elimination phase, the first phase of the three-phased diet. Data on the prevalence of specific FODMAP intolerances and their amounts has been limited, though new research on which FODMAP are most commonly triggering is emerging.

Dietary polyphenols, which are primarily found in plants, offer a range of health promoting and disease prevention benefits. Recent research examines their preventive and therapeutic benefits for cardiometabolic, neurodegenerative, oncological, and gastrointestinal conditions. In particular, polyphenols’ roles in digestion may be of relevance for IBS & NCWS.

Patients with NCGS experience significant relief from their symptoms when following a gluten-free diet. A lifelong gluten-free diet requires a lot of perseverance. There is therefore great interest in exploring alternative possibilities. A review by Calabriso et al. (2022) deals with the protective function of polyphenols and their possible dietary support to counteract negative reactions to gluten.