This Monday meeting among MAGISNAT’s researchers focused on the possible use of certain natural molecules in fighting the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that is closely linked to one’s diet.

Diet plays a pivotal role in protecting the gut microbiota, which is the population of “good” bacteria that live inside the human gut. An alteration of the gut microbiota composition, also called “dysbiosis” (for example in the case of an unbalanced diet), might cause an intestinal inflammation, often leading to various chronic diseases, collectively known as “inflammatory bowel disease” (IBD).

The major symptoms of this condition are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss, and it is usually associated with deficiencies of both macro- and micronutrients. Unluckily, the body often develops resistance against the already available drugs, with a remission rate that is below 50%.

In order to better the patients’ quality of life, it is thus important to act on their diet. The Mediterranean Diet, renowned for its anti-inflammatory effects (also due to its extensive use of extra virgin olive oil), is a very important ally in preventing dysbiosis. Also, in order to improve the management and treatment of intestinal inflammatory diseases, it would be a good practice to integrate the patient’s diet with dietary supplements containing natural molecules with anti-inflammatory effects (like probiotics, lactoferrin, palmitoylethanolamide, and omega 3), which help preventing or soothing IBD symptoms.

*Disclaimer: None of the information reported can be used to claim the properties of dietary supplements. Dietary supplements do not possess any therapeutic or preventive properties.