A diet high in sugar is associated with an increased risk of several serious health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is advised to limit the consumption of sweet foods, especially added sugar. It is more important for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to reduce their sugar intake, as too much sugar can harm gut health.
A new study by University of Pittsburgh scientists suggests that a high-sugar diet may worsen IBD symptoms.
Senior author Timothy Hand, an associate professor of pediatrics and immunology at Pitt’s School of Medicine and UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, cautioned IBD patients to stay away from high-density sugar, which can be found in things like soda and candy.
High sugar diet iIBD
In the study, mice with symptoms of IBD were fed a standard or high-fat diet. The researchers were surprised to find that all the mice on the high-sugar diet died within nine days, while all the animals on the standard diet lived to the end of the 14-day experiment.
What made sugar so lethal in mice with IBD symptoms? According to researchers, excess sugar can interfere with the protective layer of epithelial cells that line the colon or large intestine. In mice fed a high-sugar diet, the colonic epithelium collapsed completely, leaving the colon full of blood and immune cells. Furthermore, they found that sugar directly affects the colon. The findings are published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Previous research has linked sweetened beverages (sodas, soft drinks, and juices) to adverse outcomes in patients with IBD. Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh said their findings could help explain this connection as well.
Facts about IBD you should know
IBD refers to a group of disorders that cause swelling or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, due to an overactive immune system. For example, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The number of cases of IBD is increasing worldwide, mainly in industrialized countries and urban areas, where people tend to eat a diet high in sugar.
Factors that can contribute to this disease include diet, certain medications, and genetic variables.
Eating too much ultra-processed food can increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A study published in The BMJ in 2021 found that people who consumed five or more servings of ultra-processed foods per day had a more than 80 percent higher risk of developing IBD compared to those who ate less than one serving of ultra-processed foods per day. day.
People with inflammatory bowel disease are also advised to avoid packaged foods because preservatives and additives can cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Vegetables such as beans, cabbage and cauliflower can cause gas and bloating and are therefore best avoided if you have IBD.
Symptoms of IBD include abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, bloating, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool, and an upset stomach. In some cases, it can cause fever, itching, red, sore eyes, joint pain, nausea and vomiting, skin rashes and sores (sores), and vision problems.
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