Pre and probiotics and ulcerative colitis

 

A small pilot study in which synbiotics (probiotics, or ‘friendly bacteria’, combined with prebiotics which act as food for the pro-biotics) were fed to patients with ulcerative colitis over four weeks, has proved very encouraging.

At the end of the month’s trial all 18 patients involved had significant improvements in the appearance of chronic inflammation in their colons. Moreover, specific inflammatory chemicals (interleukin 1 alpha for example) had returned to levels found in normal healthy tissue. Further tests on the levels of molecules that encourage inflammation showed that they had also decreased during the treatment period.

This suggests the exciting possibility that it may be possible to control gut inflammation by manipulating the bacterial population of the gut.

E Furrie et al. Synbiotic therapy (bifidobacterium longum/Synergy 1) initiates resolution of inflammation in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a randomised controlled pilot trial. Gut, 2005:54:242-249

 

Click here for more research on IBD

First Published in September 2005

Top of page

If you found this article interesting, you will find many more general articles and research reports on coeliac disease here, and lots of information on the management of coeliac disease here.
You can also find articles and research reports on gluten intolerance here and articles on a wide range of other digestive conditions here.

For hundreds of gluten free foods see our freefrom food section here, and for nearly 800 gluten-free recipes see here.

And if you would like to get our FREE fortnightly e-newsletter with new products, recipes, articles and all the latest news from the allergy and freefrom world, just sign up here.