January/February 2004
HEALTH BYTES

Fructose and fat may worsen IBS

      Two separate studies suggest that fructose and fat may contribute to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disease that affects up to 15 percent of Americans. IBS, whose cause is not clear, is marked by varied symptoms including diarrhea, bloating and constipation. In the first study, researchers found that 30 to 58 percent of patients with IBS symptoms were intolerant of fructose. When IBS patients followed a fructose-restricted diet, abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea declined significantly. In the second study, patients with IBS had more fat in their diets and fewer carbohydrates, suggesting that dietary fat may also contribute to symptoms of IBS.