Cut back on carbohydrates – the first choice in IBS treatment.
A new study from dietitian Sanna Nybacka and her colleagues at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg suggests cutting back on carbohydrates as the first choice in the treatment of IBS.
IBS
IBS is a very common functional gastrointestinal disease that affects the daily lives of many people. The symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, bloating, and changed bowel habits. What works as a treatment for IBS differs greatly from individual to individual and today involves several different treatment options in the form of dietary advice (avoid strong food, reduce coffee, alcohol, and carbonated drinks, etc.), lifestyle advice (exercise, eat regularly and small portions, etc.) and medicines (to relieve symptoms of e.g. diarrhoea/constipation).
Medicines compared to dietary advice
In the study, which will soon be published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, they compared drug treatment with different dietary advice. The results show that both dietary advice and drug treatment help patients, but that dietary advice can be more effective. In addition, it seems that the effect of the dietary advice leads to a more lasting improvement in the patients.
Low-FODMAP
Today, the so-called low FODMAP diet has become trendy and many news channels have the diet as a recurring theme to reduce stomach problems. The diet has even established itself within healthcare centers and is sometimes casually recommended as a treatment option without considering the risks involved and without following up on patients over time. Not infrequently, people who are attracted to the low FODMAP diet begin to develop an unnecessary fear of eating certain foods.
Try simply reducing the carbohydrates
The current study thus shows that a diet reduced in carbohydrates is as effective as a low FODMAP diet and could also be an even better option for reducing constipation problems.
Reducing carbohydrates could be a much easier path for IBS patients than searching for specific carbohydrates on ingredient lists. The study found that symptoms were reduced even in patients who had 5 times more FODMAPs per day than those who received a low FODMAP diet.
What is a low-carbohydrate diet?
In the current study, the total intake of carbohydrates was reduced to less than 50 grams per day. The distribution of nutrients was approximately 10% carbohydrates, 67% fat, and 23% protein. The amount of dietary fiber per day was approximately 25 grams, which mainly came from seeds/nuts and a low-carbohydrate bread. Those who previously chose to exclude lactose had to continue with this in the study, which also affected the total intake of carbohydrates.
About the study
Title: A low FODMAP diet plus traditional dietary advice versus a low-carbohydrate diet versus pharmacological treatment in irritable bowel syndrome (CARBIS): a single-centre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.
Published in: The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Authors: Sanna Nybacka, Hans Törnblom, Axel Josefsson, Johann P. Hreinsson, Lena Böhn, Åsa Frändemark, Cecilia Weznaver, Stine Störsrud, Magnus Simrén
Number of participants: 304 adults with a diagnosis of IBS and moderate to severe symptoms.
Treatments compared in the study:
- optimized drug treatment based on symptoms (OMT)
- diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides, and polyols and traditional dietary advice (LFTD)
- Low Carbohydrate Diet (LCD)
Sources
- Nybacka S, Törnblom H, Josefsson A, Hreinsson JP, Böhn L, Frändemark Å, Weznaver C, Störsrud S, Simrén M. A low FODMAP diet plus traditional dietary advice versus a low-carbohydrate diet versus pharmacological treatment in irritable bowel syndrome (CARBIS ): a single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Apr 18:S2468-1253(24)00045-1. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(24)00045-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38643782. Link to the article
- Dietary treatment more effective than drugs for IBS- PRESS RELEASE GOTHENBURG UNIVERSITY
