Food Elimination May Reduce Symptoms of IBS

Alper BS. “Evidence-based medicine. Antibody-guided food elimination may reduce symptoms of IBS.” Clinical Advisor. 8(2): 122, 2005.

This article comments on a 12-week study with 150 patients with IBS who were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies against 29 different foods. One group was advised to follow a diet that eliminated all foods for which they tested positive (most commonly yeast, milk, whole eggs, wheat, cashew nuts and peas). The control group was advised to eat a diet that eliminated the same number of foods, but foods for which they did not have IgG antibodies (sham diet). The antibody-based elimination diet reduced IBS symptoms 38.5 points overall on a 500-point scale and by 98 more points in those who fully followed the diet. Using the outcome of improved global rating, responses were 28% in the elimination diet vs. 17% in those who were on the sham diet; and 54% vs. 15% in those who fully followed the diet. When eliminated foods were reintroduced into the diet, they led to greater worsening of symptoms in the true-diet group compared with the sham-diet group.