Dietary Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Current evidence and guidelines for future practice
12 September 2001
Exclusion diets have a limited role in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Individual dietary assessment is being used to identify dietary issues pertinent to the symptoms of individual IBS patients. There is also a move away from high-fibre diets in IBS therapy and towards manipulation of fibre fractions within diet, says Dr. S. Burden of the department of nutrition and dietetics at Manchester Royal Infirmary in Britain.
Dr. Burden conducted a review of the literature on diet and IBS. Results indicate there is research interest in evaluating the effects of caffeine on gut function, Dr. Burden points out. Randomized, controlled trials account for only a small proportion of studies on diet and IBS. These have concentrated on modification of dietary fibre. Observational trials make up the bulk of the research. No indisputable conclusions can be drawn from these studies.
"Literature available on therapeutic dietary manipulation in IBS patients is centred around non-starch polysaccharides, mono and disaccharide sensitivity and food intolerance," Dr. Burden reports. Guidelines developed from the literature search outline a positive role for dieticians in treating IBS patients. Use of the guidelines draws on "the unique skills possessed by dieticians regarding the assessment of habitual eating habits and therapeutic dietary manipulation."
With thanks to "Doctor's Guide" - Week of 09/12/2001
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