Do you often have severe stomach pain? It may be a symptom of colitis. Inflammation of the intestine or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a disorder that occurs in the digestive system, causing inflammation. This inflammation can be characterised by irritation or injury. Regardless of age, colitis can affect anyone. The common symptoms often felt are pain or cramps in the stomach, bloating, diarrhea, and bloody bowel movements.

Basically, there is no definite cause for IBD. However, several factors, such as a compromised immune system, a high protein diet, bacterial/viral/parasitic infections, and smoking, can trigger IBD. Apart from a high protein diet, fond of consuming products high in fructose can also be a factor in IBD occurrence. Studies show that a high-fructose diet can damage the colon and cause inflammation. In fact, this diet can worsen the symptoms of IBD patients by changing the microbiota in the digestive system.

In their study, researchers conducted experiments to determine the effect of high fructose intake on three mouse models with IBD. It is known that the first mouse model given a high-fructose diet developed inflammation of a high degree of severity. In contrast, another mouse given a high-glucose diet did not experience increased inflammation. In addition, researchers also found that the bacteria found in the intestines were related to the symptoms that occurred.

A high-fructose diet can reduce the thickness of the mucus layer that lines the large intestine by one fifth, allowing bacteria to infiltrate and come in direct contact with cells. Not only that, high fructose intake can also encourage bacterial growth and exacerbate the inflammation that occurs. Therefore, people with IBD are advised to avoid foods or drinks high in fructose such as soda, candy, baked goods, and other processed foods. The results of this study have been published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Montrose, D.C., Nishiguchi, R., Basu, S., et al (2020). Dietary Fructose Alters the Composition, Localization and Metabolism of Gut Microbiota in Association with Worsening Colitis. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.09.008.
• Medical News Today - Fructose in diet may exacerbate inflammatory bowel disease (2020). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fructose-in-diet-may-exacerbate-inflammatory-bowel-disease#Mimicking-the-effects-of-IBD, 12 October 2020.