Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is associated with alterations in the gut microbiome (defined as the collective genomes of bacteria, bacteriophage, fungi, protozoa and viruses living inside the gastrointestinal system). Crohn’s disease is believed to arise from a shared interaction between genetic and environmental influences, such as dietary patterns (Raman, 2020). Most gut problems, including inflammatory bowel disease, are caused either by allergy, or by gut dysbiosis (i.e. the wrong bugs in the gut), or poor digestion of foods. When things get complicated there is often an element of all three. In Crohn's disease almost always there is allergy - this was proven by Dr John Hunter at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, who showed that patients responded as well to an elimination diet as to steroids. Nearly all are intolerant of grains. Usually with Crohn's there are just a few foods implicated.
Crohn’s disease most commonly occurs in the small intestine and the colon. It can affect any part of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from gum (mouth) to bum (anus), and can involve some parts of the GI tract while skipping others. The range of severity for Crohn’s is mild to debilitating, depending on a number of factors. Symptoms vary and can change over time. In severe cases, the disease can lead to life threatening flare-ups and complications.
Diagnosis & Treatment
Treatment
Common medical therapies include corticosteroids, immunomodulatory and biologic agents, and surgery. However, these therapies are not universally effective – the disease may recur and drugs may be associated with serious side effects. More recently, guidelines have included dietary therapies as a treatment option (Raman, 2021).
Research has long explored the link between diet and the quality of life for a patient with Crohn’s disease, however, diet guidelines for IBD treatment have been lacking until recently. A recent study explores the relationship between patterns of dietary intake and gut microbiota in Crohn’s disease patients, and examined the effects of a dietary intervention in patients consuming a non-diversified diet. The study was a success, showing that specific dietary patterns are associated with specific gut microbial compositions in patients with Crohn’s disease. Perhaps more importantly, it was revealed that a diet intervention in patients consuming a non-diversified diet can successfully modify the gut microbial composition to resemble that of a patient who is eating a diversified diet. Essentially, it is never too late to change, and a simple switch in diet can change a person’s gut microbial composition to lessen the impact and symptoms of Crohn’s (Raman, 2020).
Which dietary path is right for each person?
As with any significant changes to a person’s diet, they should be implemented under the close supervision of a physician and ideally a registered dietician. It is abundantly clear that there is a key role of both long-term diet as well as short-term dietary changes on the structural and functional composition of the gut microbiome, which directly reflects the incidence and severity of Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel diseases. Knowing this, a dietician can help you figure out which options are best suited to your individual needs
Care at Chartwell Hospital
Available Services
Description title
Gastroenterology Department