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Researchers conclude that fecal profiling of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) may provide a low cost, non-invasive tool to predict the responses of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients to probiotics and diets low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP’s). Modeling baseline fecal VOC’s, and using key features of VOC profiles, correctly predicted response to
Consuming 2 to 3 cups of homemade yogurt daily led to a remission of IBS in 89% of participants in a study at two medical centers in eastern Kentucky presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG2017. Although some study designs were noted, the experiment showed promise. See the review on Medscape here.
A low FODMAP diet was more effective at improving symptoms than general dietary advice (GDA) in a study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Gastrointestinal symptoms , stool frequency, and consistency improved after six weeks in the FODMAP group. However, both groups experienced reductions in symptom severity, abdominal pain, distension, consistency and frequency.
