A promising pilot study from Michigan Medicine suggests that the Mediterranean diet could offer relief for irritable bowel syndrome sufferers, providing a less restrictive alternative to the traditional low FODMAP diet.
A recent pilot study conducted by researchers at Michigan Medicine has uncovered that the Mediterranean diet may provide significant symptom relief for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Promising initial findings from this investigation, published in the journal Neurogastroenterology & Motility, indicate that this diet could serve as a more sustainable and less restrictive alternative to the commonly prescribed low FODMAP diet.
In the study, participants were divided into two groups: one following the Mediterranean diet and the other adhering to the low FODMAP diet, which is known for its stringent restrictions.
The results were encouraging, with 73% of the Mediterranean diet group meeting the primary endpoint for symptom improvement, compared to 81.8% in the low FODMAP group.
IBS is a chronic condition affecting an estimated 4-11% of the global population, with many patients seeking dietary interventions over medication. Although the low FODMAP diet has shown to improve symptoms in more than half of sufferers, its restrictive nature can be a challenge for many.
Lead author Prashant Singh, a gastroenterologist at Michigan Medicine, explained the motivation behind the study.
“Restrictive diets, such as low FODMAP, can be difficult for patients to adopt,” he said in a news release. “In addition to the issue of being costly and time-consuming, there are concerns about nutrient deficiencies and disordered eating when trying a low FODMAP diet. The Mediterranean diet interested us as an alternative that is not an elimination diet and overcomes several of these limitations related to a low FODMAP diet.”
The Mediterranean diet, renowned for its cardiovascular, cognitive and general health benefits, had shown conflicting results in past IBS studies. This trial, however, was the first randomized controlled trial comparing the Mediterranean diet to another diet, rather than simply to participants’ typical eating habits.
Over four weeks, two groups of patients adhered either to the Mediterranean diet or to the restriction phase of the low FODMAP diet. The study’s primary goal was a 30% reduction in abdominal pain intensity, measured using FDA standards.
“This study adds to a growing body of evidence which suggests that a Mediterranean diet might be a useful addition to the menu of evidence-based dietary interventions for patients with IBS,” added senior author William Chey, chief of Gastroenterology at the University of Michigan and president-elect of the American College of Gastroenterology.
Given that all 20 patients who completed the study had been diagnosed with either IBS-D (diarrhea) or IBS-M (mixed symptoms of constipation or diarrhea), the results hold meaningful implications for a broad segment of the IBS population.
The study’s outcomes underscore the potential of the Mediterranean diet to provide symptom relief in a more accessible and less restrictive manner.
Looking ahead, the researchers are advocating for larger controlled trials to further investigate the Mediterranean diet’s long-term efficacy compared to the reintroduction and personalization phases of the low FODMAP diet.
Source: Michigan Medicine