{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: A diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols improves abdominal and overall symptoms in persons with all subtypes of irritable bowel syndrome.
{Author}: Dean G;Chey SW;Singh P;Chey WD;
{Journal}: Neurogastroenterol Motil
{Volume}: 36
{Issue}: 8
{Year}: 2024 Aug 17
{Factor}: 3.96
{DOI}: 10.1111/nmo.14845
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>A diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols (LFD) improves symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Previous studies have focused on patients with IBS and diarrhea (IBS-D). It is unclear whether LFD is effective for IBS with constipation (IBS-C) or IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M). This open-label, real-world study evaluates the relative effectiveness of the LFD among IBS subtypes.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>This study analyzes data from a service that provides low-FODMAP meals to individuals with IBS. Participants met with a registered dietitian and completed the IBS symptom severity survey (IBS-SSS) before and after undergoing a 2-4-week period of FODMAP restriction. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with ≥50-point decrease in IBS-SSS between the three IBS subtypes.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>After FODMAP restriction, 90% of participants with IBS-D, 75% with IBS-C, and 84% with IBS-M met the primary endpoint (p = 0.045). Similar improvement was seen for a 100-point decrease, but the difference between IBS subtypes was not significant (p = 0.46). After FODMAP restriction, all groups had statistically significant improvement in total IBS-SSS as well as individual symptom categories. Improvement in IBS-SSS subcategories was similar among the groups except for the categories of bloating severity (IBS-M had greatest improvement) and bowel movement satisfaction (IBS-C had less improvement).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Though the proportion of responders was highest for IBS-D and lowest for IBS-C, the LFD led to robust improvement in overall symptoms in all IBS subtypes. Key individual symptoms also showed significant improvements in all IBS subtypes.