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Published on: November 30, 2016
Food Allergy and Intolerance in IBS
Rok Son Choung1, Nicholas J Talley1
1Dr. Choung is a research fellow and Dr. Talley serves as Professor of Medicine in the Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiological Research (C.E.N.T.E.R.) Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may involve food hypersensitivity, a condition where the immune system reacts to certain foods. Further research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms in IBS.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Dietary Science
Background:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder with multifactorial causes.
- Dietary factors and adverse food reactions are frequently reported by IBS patients, though specific triggers vary widely.
- Food hypersensitivity involves immune responses, including immunoglobulin E-dependent and -independent pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence supporting a role for food hypersensitivity in IBS.
- To examine the epidemiologic and pathophysiologic data related to food hypersensitivity in IBS.
- To discuss the clinical implications of food hypersensitivity in IBS management.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing epidemiologic data.
- Analysis of pathophysiologic mechanisms.
- Evaluation of clinical studies on elimination diets.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests a potential role for food hypersensitivity in a subset of IBS patients.
- Improvement in IBS symptom severity has been observed in some patients adhering to elimination diets.
- The precise underlying mechanisms of food hypersensitivity in IBS remain incompletely understood.
Conclusions:
- Food hypersensitivity is a plausible contributing factor in IBS.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific mechanisms and identify relevant food triggers.
- Understanding food hypersensitivity could lead to improved dietary management strategies for IBS.
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