The Role of Dietary Fibers in the Management of IBD Symptoms

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic, progressive, immune-mediated diseases of the intestinal tract. The main subtypes of IBDs are Chron’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The etiology is still unclear, but there are genetic, environmental and host-related factors that contribute to the development of these diseases. Recent literature has shown that dietary therapy is the cornerstone of IBD treatment in terms of management of symptoms, relapse and care of the pathology. IBD patients show that microbiota dysbiosis and diet, especially dietary fiber, can modulate its composition. These patients are more at risk of energy protein malnutrition than the general population and are deficient in micronutrients. So far, no dietary component is considered responsible for IBD and there is not a specific therapeutic diet for it. The aim of this review is to evaluate the role of dietary fibers in CD and UC and help health professionals in the nutritional management of these pathologies. Further studies are necessary to determine the appropriate amount and type of fiber to suggest in the case of IBD to ameliorate psychosocial conditions and patients’ quality of life.

Dietary Supplementation of Ancientino Ameliorates Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis by Improving Intestinal Barrier Function and Reducing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

“…Therefore, increasing dietary fiber intake is necessary to help maintain intestinal health. Furthermore, dietary fiber has been found to provide other health advantages, such as lowering the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers [ 57 ].…”

Dietary Fiber in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Are We Ready to Change the Paradigm?

“…Over time, our growing comprehension of the significance of fiber for gastrointestinal health has highlighted the importance of IBD patients achieving an adequate dietary intake as well [ 4 , 47 ]. Although research studies on the role of fiber in the prevention and treatment of IBD in humans are limited [ 48 ], existing intervention trials have shown that dietary fibers can improve IBD symptoms [ 49 ], enhance health-related quality of life [ 50 ], balance inflammation [ 47 ], modulate immune responses [ 51 ], and help mitigate dysbiosis by restoring the gut microbiome [ 52 ]. Dietary fibers mediate these beneficial effects though byproducts of dietary fermentation of MAC, principally SCFA [ 53 , 54 ], and also by preserving the mucus layer barrier by promoting mucus synthesis and secretion [ 16 , 55 ].…”

“…Also considering the lack of clinical evidence directly implicating SCFAs in the resolution of inflammation or mucosal healing [ 49 , 82 , 83 ], large-scale prospective, longitudinal studies with characterization of gut microbiota composition and functions and with evaluations of SFCA (final byproducts of fiber fermentation) are strongly required to link dietary fibers, the microbiome, and SFCA’s production to specific favorable outcomes and objective measures (especially the reduction of inflammation through fecal calprotectin or endoscopic assessment).…”

Factors that Increase the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…In most instances, diet changes to become one that is low in dietary fibre and meat. A diet that is rich in fibres has been shown to have a protective effect on IBD [13]. However, as countries become more industrialized and urbanized, the intake of a diet that is high in fibre tends to reduce.…”