The role of dietary approach in irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal diseases. In IBS multiple pathophysiological mechanisms including alterations in intestinal motility, permeability, nutrient absorption, and intestinal microbiota have been implicated. Foods are commonly reported by patients to be a trigger of symptoms and therefore are likely involved in the generation of symptoms in IBS. Among all possible therapeutic options, a first-line approach to IBS is dietary education and identification of foods potentially responsible for the onset or worsening of symptoms. Dietary approaches include reduction of gas-producing foods (i.e. fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs)), lactose and gluten. Further studies are required to link the ultimate role of diets in different IBS subtypes.