title: [Nutritional factors and nutritional therapy for irritable bowel syndrome--what is worthwhile?].
abstract: The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has increased over the last 50 years in countries where a Western-style diet has been prominent or introduced and 20 - 65 % of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) attribute their symptoms to something in food that activates an abnormal response. However, data from dietary elimination and re-challenge studies are inconclusive. Although investigations have shown that bran may be helpful in some patients, a complete review of the literature does not reveal conclusive evidence that a high fibre diet therapy is effective in IBS. From the limited reports on probiotics, there appears to be a trend to decreasing symptoms. Despite numerous reviews on this subject, it is very difficult to give general dietary advice to IBS patients, but dietary experts may have a positive role in managing such patients. It is clear that much more prospective research is needed to study both dietary factors and probiotics in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik I - ZAFES, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wächtershäuser
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000178:diet therapy*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome