FODMAP diet exacerbates symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, finds study

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been linked to a diet high in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), as well as gluten. Most earlier investigations were single-blind and focused on FODMAP removal or provocation with single FODMAPs.

According to a new study,  FODMAPs had a little influence on typical IBS symptoms in persons with IBS, but gluten had no effect.

Gluten's effect is unknown; extensive studies separating gluten's effect from that of FODMAPs are required. Keeping this in mind, Elise Nordin and her colleagues designed this study to assure large intakes of a variety of FODMAPs, gluten, or placebo, and to assess the impact on IBS symptoms using the IBS severity rating system (IBS-SSS).

The findings of this study were published in The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition on 7th October, 2021.

The trial was conducted at a clinical institution in Uppsala from September 2018 to June 2019 using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized three-way crossover design. In all, 110 people with moderate to severe IBS who met the IBS Rome IV criteria were randomized; 103 (90 females, 13 male) completed the experiment. Throughout the study, IBS patients ate a low-FODMAP, gluten-free diet. Participants were randomly assigned to one-week treatments of FODMAPs (50 g/day), gluten (17.3 g/day), or placebo, followed by a one-week washout period. The intention-to-treat analysis included all individuals who completed at least one intervention.