The Elemental Diet
Very often the elemental diet can be used as a non-toxic alternative to corticosteroids as the primary treatment of acute IBD. (1-4) The elemental diet is one that contains all essential nutrients.
However, protein is being provided only in the form of predigested or isolated amino acids. Advancements are experienced by patients on this elemental diet are probably not related to nutritional improvement, the elemental diet is probably serving as an allergen elimination diet. Another way amino acids are being applied are via enemas. A group of patients with distal ulcerative colitis improved after a six-week course of enemas containing a mixture of essential amino-acid nutrients. Rectal irrigation is one of several novel or modified treatments becoming available for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.(5)
Some improvement may also be the result of alterations in the fecal flora that have been observed in patients consuming an elemental diet. Hospitalization is often required for satisfactory administration of elemental diets, and relapse is common when patients resume normal eating. An elimination diet may be a more acceptable alternative in the treatment of IBD, particularly chronic cases.
Frequency of Nutritional Deficiency in Patients with IBD: (6)
Iron Deficiency, 40% (forty percent)
Low serum vitamin B12, 48% (forty-eight percent)
Low serum folate, 54-64% (fifty-four to sixty-four percent)
Low serum magnesium, 14-33% (fourteen to thirty-three percent)
Low serum potassium, 6-20 (six to twenty percent)
Low serum retinol, 21% (twenty-one percent)
Low serum ascorbate, 12% (twelve percent)
Low serum 25-OH-vitamin D, 25-65% (twenty-five to sixty-five percent)
Low serum zinc, 40-50%, (forty to fifty percent)
Next we will take a look at the Elimination Diet
Beste Gesundheit,
Werner
1. Morain C.O., Segal A.W., Levi A.J. Elemental Diet as Primary Treatment of Acute Crohn's Disease: A Controlled Trial. Br Med J 288 (1984):1859-62
2. Harris A.D., Danis V., Heatley R.V., et al. Controlled Trial of Supplemented Oral Nutrition in Crohn's Disease. Lancet i (1983):887-90
3. Axelsson C., Jarnum S. Assessment of Therapeutic Value of an Elemental Diet in Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 12 (1977):89-95
4. Voitk A.J. et al. Experience with Elemental Diet in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Arch Surg 107 (1973):469-73
5. Mitchel L. Zoler. Medical World News. Dec 1991 v32 n12 p19(1). 6. Rosenberg I.H., Benoga J.M., Sitrin M.D. Nutritional Aspects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Ann Rev Nutr 5 (1985):463-84