Scientific dietary advice reduces symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can have a profound impact on patients’ quality of life, limiting their ability to work and participate in social activities. Symptoms range from abdominal pain to bowel movement problems. Treatment generally focuses on lifestyle advice and dietary interventions. IBS is a multifactorial condition, involving factors such as the immune system, intestinal permeability and the gut microbiome, yet the exact mechanisms behind the disorder are not fully understood. WUR aims to change this through its research.

In the project Nutrition to Improve Quality of Life, nutrition plays a central role. More than 1,600 individuals were asked which foods trigger their symptoms. In a subset of participants, the composition of the gut microbiome was analysed. Subsequently, in vitro models were developed: artificial intestines in which different food products were tested. The effects of 45 food components were studied, focusing on parameters such as intestinal permeability and inflammatory responses. In addition, laboratory studies examined the effects of these components on gut bacteria from a healthy donor. Food components that appeared to reduce IBS symptoms were investigated further.

The research identified which foods reduce symptoms and which exacerbate them, showing that these effects are independent of specific IBS subtypes. The study also revealed that IBS patients often have lower levels of Bifidobacteria in their gut. Probiotic supplements containing Bifidobacteria can help reduce symptoms. Furthermore, the research shows that while probiotics can alleviate symptoms, the use of prebiotics improves bowel movements.

This research is a public–private partnership, co-funded by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. In addition to Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, the WUR departments of Human Nutrition and the Laboratory of Microbiology were involved, along with nine companies. These companies, primarily producers of dietary supplements, supplied the prebiotics, probiotics and other functional food components used in the studies. WUR prepared a dedicated report for each consortium partner on the investigated food components.