The Low FODMAPs diet as a cure for irritable bowel syndrome

Pain, diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence: are these symptoms for you daily? Maybe you suffer from irritable bowela very common syndrome, which has a prevalence of little less than 5% in Italy. Like all functional disorders affects women double the proportion of men.

Part of the cure for this ailment is to be found in what you eat: an assumption reiterated and validated also during the 29th National Congress of Digestive Diseases FISMAD, during which the AIGO doctors focused their attention on theimportance of daily nutritionwith a personalized approach.

The low-FODMAPs diet for irritable bowel syndrome

One diet, for example, that works well in treating irritable bowel syndrome is the Low FODMAPs dietWhere FODMAPs is the acronym of Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols). Its function? Reduce your intake of certain foods that can ferment at the level of the colon and attracting water at the level of the small intestine, stretching it.

«In a context of increased visceral sensitivity, such as irritable bowel, the distension of the small intestine and the gas produced by fermentation operated by the intestinal microbiota can trigger or aggravate the symptoms causing precisely pain, diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence“, explains Massimo BelliniAIGO President-elect and Director of the Gastroenterology UOC of the University Hospital of Pisa.

We have been hearing about a similar diet for some time in the medical field: in fact, gastroenterologists have always advised their patients with irritable bowel to reduce the consumption of fresh dairy products or legumes or certain types of vegetables and starchy foods. But the FODMAPs diet is in this sense a more complete and global restriction.

«It provides for the reduction of the recruitment of foods containing monosaccharides (like fructose), disaccharides (such as lactose), galacto-oligosaccharides (contained in legumes), fructooligosaccharides (contained in cereals) e polyols (sweeteners such as sorbitol) – continues Bellini – In practice, patients are asked to reduce intake of various foods such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, fennel, artichokes, peppers, asparagus, cauliflower, honey, bread and pasta… then reintroduce them after verifying their real effect on intestinal habits.

Scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of the low FODMAPs diet

«It has been proven that the FODMAPs diet is superior to traditional dietary advice and the gluten-free diet in treating the symptoms of irritable bowel – confirms Bellini – Our studies have also demonstrated the effectiveness of this diet in the medium-long term on all the main digestive symptoms and on the patients’ quality of life».

Irritable bowel syndrome and diets: no to DIY

As always, there is an imperative message for doctors: NO to DIY, especially in elimination diets, especially for patients at risk of eating disorders, or for healthy people.

“As always, the patient must rely on a nutrition expert (gastroenterologist with specific skills, nutritionist or dietitian) who has a deep knowledge of this type of diet. This is crucial for avoid the dangers of inadequate nutritional intake and to be able to carry out an appropriate phase of “reintroduction” which is the most delicate part of the diet, testing the different groups of foods eliminated and then reintroduced one at a time to establish which foods are truly capable of triggering the symptoms in that single patient and therefore «sew on him» the diet which will have to continue in the long term, even for life», concludes Bellini.

The table with the yes and no foods of the FODMAPs diet

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