Although this study was conducted with non-Celiac Disease patients, if you have CD and continue to suffer with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) symptoms, even after eliminating gluten, consider whether FODMAP foods may be the cause.
In a (2013) study researchers from United Kingdom’s Nottingham University set out to determine if FODMAPS (acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) can exacerbate IBS symptoms leading to gas and abdominal distension. The researchers hoped to gain a better understanding of how fructose and inulin influenced small and large bowel volumes which are “potentially important in understanding how diets high in FODMAPs cause symptoms”. Patients were given various tests including an MRI, breath tests, and were asked to keep a diary of their bowel habits after drinking beverages.
Study lists FODMAPS as “short-chain carbohydrates such as fructose and lactose, fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides such as fructans and galactans, and polyhydric alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol. The term fructans includes carbohydrates with a chain length longer than 10, which are generally called inulins.”
” from www.nature.com
“The data confirmed the initial hypothesis that fructose, being both osmotically active and relatively poorly absorbed, substantially increases small bowel water, nearly doubling the volume compared with the well-absorbed glucose drink.”
“Inulin distends the colon with gas more than fructose, but causes few symptoms in healthy volunteers.”
“This study has demonstrated that FODMAPs had a significant impact on the production of gastrointestinal gas, with fructose and inulin producing significantly more gas than glucose and the mixture of glucose and fructose. Assuming that colonic gas causes luminal distension, the percent changes from baseline of diameter of the ascending and transverse regions of the colon were calculated, and an attempt was made to correlate this luminal diameter with the volunteers’ reported symptoms of abdominal gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.”
(also see links below to other FODMAP studies conducted in Ireland & Australia).
Fructose: a hexose sugar found in honey and fruit … (from Wiki: Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose, that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion.)
Inulin: a complex of sugar present in the roots of various plants and used medically to test kidney function. It is a polysaccharide based on fructose. (from Wiki: Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory.The inulins belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans. Inulin is used by some plants as a means of storing energy and is typically found in roots or rhizomes. Most plants that synthesize and store inulin do not store other forms of carbohydrate such as starch.)
To read study abstract featured in www.nature.com, click HERE.
More reading on FODMAPS/IBS ISSUES:
(from CeliacCorner guest author) “While most celiacs do find their gastrointestinal symptoms improve dramatically once gluten is gone, almost 40% of people with celiac disease also have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to some degree.” Read article.
(Australia study) http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(13)01407-8/fulltext
(Ireland study) http://gut.bmj.com/content/62/Suppl_2/A3.2.short?rss=1&ssource=mfr
CeliacCorner recommends consulting with a health care professional before commencing any type of diet
