MON-PP054: Modification of the Low Fodmap Diet in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Rationale: The Low FODMAP-diet is a carbohydrate modified diet, which results in reduction of gastrointestinal symptoms and increased quality of life in individuals with IBS. The original Low FODMAP diet consists of exclusion of as many fermentable and osmotically active oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols as possible. However, many Danish patients find the diet very difficult to live with. We wanted to investigate, if all elements in the diet are equally important for the patients. Methods: 9 IBS-patients fulfilling the ROME-III-criteria were randomized in a cross-over design to three different carbohydrate modified diets: (A) Low Polyol diet, (B) Low FOS+GOS diet or (C) Low total-FODMAP diet for three months without wash-out periods. Gastrointestinal symptoms were registered according to the ROME-III standard and the Birmingham IBS symptom questionnaire. Quality of Life was measured by the IBS-QOL. All registrations were performed at baseline and after every intervention. Results: Compared to baseline we found no significant improvement after the Low Polyol diet, but significant improvements with both the Low FOS+GOS and the total Low FODMAP diets (p < 0.02), and they both carried better results than the low Polyol diet (p < 0.05). On the Low FOS+GOS diet quality of life was scored better than at baseline and with the low-Polyol diet (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The carbohydrate modified diet with exclusion of fructooligosaccarides and galactoaligosaccarides (Low FOS+GOS diet) reduced gastro-intestinal symptoms and improved quality of life at least as well as the original Low FODMAP-diet.