Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Switching To High Sugar Diet Can Reduce IBS Symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that can cause a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, bloating, gas, flatulence, mucus in stool, and other symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, lethargy, and an urgency to move the bowels.

The current dietary recommendation for IBS is the low-FODMAP diet. However, a recent study conducted by Bodil Ohlsson, a professor at Lund University, indicated that a starch and sucrose-reduced (SSRD) diet greatly reduced IBS symptoms such as recurring pain, tightness in the stomach, diarrhoea, and constipation. Sweet treats, highly processed foods, and ready-to-eat meals were to be avoided. The study is published in the scientific journal Nutrients.

The study aimed to compare the SSRD and low-FODMAP diets in patients with IBS. The research involved 155 participants diagnosed with IBS, who were randomly assigned to follow either the SSRD or the low-FODMAP diet for four weeks. "At the start of the trial, participants were required to have been on a standard diet, allowing them to eat a wide variety of foods," explains Bodil Ohlsson. While each group adhered to the fundamental guidelines of their assigned diet, they had the flexibility to decide how often and when they ate.

Reducing starch and sugar has shown significant benefits for patients with IBS. In the study, both diet groups experienced an improvement in symptoms, with 75-80% of patients reporting relief, which Bodil Ohlsson noted was "even better than we anticipated." Additionally, participants following the SSRD diet achieved greater weight loss after four weeks compared to those on the low-FODMAP diet. The SSRD group also reported a notable decrease in sugar cravings, which is particularly encouraging given that IBS patients typically have higher average weights than their healthy counterparts, according to Ohlsson.

What Causes IBS?

The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is still known but health experts classify IBS as neurogastrointestinal disorder (NGI). These conditions have to do with problems with how your gut and brain work together to help your digestive system work without any problems. Communication differences between your gut and brain can lead to the following:

Dysmotility: The way in which your GI muscles contract and the movement of food through your GI tract can cause some problems. Large intestine (colon) muscle tends to contract more in people suffering from IBS, leading to pain and cramps.

Visceral hypersensitivity: Some people may have extra-sensitive nerves in the GI tract. People suffering from IBS tend to have lower pain tolerance than people without the nerves.

Gut bacteria: According to research, people with IBS have different bacteria in their GI tract, resulting in the symptoms of IBS. The amount as well as types of gut bacteria differs in people suffering from the disorder than people without it.

Infections: If you have suffered from an infection that affected your GI tract, there is a possibility that you might get diagnosed with IBS. This suggests that germs may have a potential role to play.

Intolerance to food: If you are allergic to certain food items, then it might contribute to IBS.

There could be some triggers as well which can worsen the symptoms of IBS. Some of these are:

Menstruation: Periods or menstrual cycle may affect IBS and can worsen the symptoms.

Food: Dairy food items or food that contain gluten (wheat) can make you feel gassy.

Stress: Stress is neither good for your mental health nor physical health. According to some of the researchers, IBS is your gut’s response to stress. Therefore, IBS is sometimes also known as nervous stomach or anxious stomach.