Limiting certain carbohydrates could help improve gut health, new research has suggested.
A low FODMAP diet, has long been hailed as the cure for such issues including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because it gives the digestive system a break from potential irritants.
Now, researchers from Norway have discovered that the diet—which works by restricting carbohydrates including cereal, bread and crackers—may also help regulate blood sugar and appetite and improve overall gut health.
Experts suggested the diet could soon help patients with gut issues including IBS manage their symptoms.
However, they noted that exactly how FODMAP boosted levels of the hormone GLP-1 in the gut, which improved appetite and overall gut health, still needed further research.
FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols—groups of carbohydrates that are notorious for triggering digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas and stomach pain.
These carbohydrates cannot be broken down and absorbed through the small intestine so the body processes them in the large intestine.
FODMAP foods include vegetables like onion and garlic, as well as carbohydrates like pasta and certain fruits such as apples and nectarines which are high in sugar.
A low-FODMAP diet involves cutting down on sugars, refined starchy carbohydrates and dairy products which can promote fermentation in the gut and opting for low-FODMAP alternatives
Removing high FODMAP foods can give your gut lining a chance to repair itself and restore a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria, easing symptoms of IBS
The best low-FODMAP alternatives include non-fermentable vegetables such as aubergines and potatoes, low-fructose fruits like grapes, kiwis and oranges and protein-rich eggs, tofu and seafood.
In the study researchers at the Haukeland University Hospital, Norway, investigated the impact of a low FODMAP diet on levels of GLP-1—a hormone released in the gut after eating that has been linked with IBS—in patients with the painful condition.
Researchers studied 30 adult patients with mixed type IBS—when sufferers tend to experience alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhoea.
Participants followed a strict low-FODMAP diet, with guidance from a registered dietician.
Researchers checked in with volunteers once a month to assess whether they were following the diet correctly.
Over a follow-up of three months, the researchers found those who adhered to the diet experienced a ‘significant improvement’ gastrointestinal symptoms—including less severe abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhoea.
GLP-1 levels also rose, showing participants had better blood sugar control and felt fuller for longer.
Writing in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, the researchers said: ‘Although the mechanisms behind the increase in GLP-1 following a low FODMAP diet remain unknown, hypotheses can be drawn.’
The diet may affect improve L-cell exposure in the colon to molecules that are produced when nutrients are processed.
L-cells are known to produce and secrete the GLP-1 hormone.
This ‘could affect the production of GLP-1,’ the researchers suggested.
However, they noted the study had some limitations, including the fact it only included 30 people and all had IBS.
‘This study does not reveal whether GLP-1 levels are different in IBS patients compared to healthy controls,’ they said.
‘The small sample size of 30 patients also warrants further, larger studies to verify our findings.’
But, they added: ‘Nonetheless, statistically significant changes were seen.’
Affecting around one in 20 people worldwide, IBS causes agonising abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation—with few effective treatments available.
The long-term condition, which has no known cure, can have a substantial impact on quality of life and the ability of sufferers to work and socialise.
Source link
