A low FODMAP diet is associated with changes in the microbiota and reduction in breath hydrogen but not colonic volume in healthy subjects

Study answer

What this study found

The short-term low FODMAP diet did not reduce colonic volume; it increased fasting total colonic volume in both groups. In the maltodextrin group, total colonic volume increased by 90 mL (95% CI 6 to 175; P = 0.04) and breath hydrogen decreased by 11 ppm (95% CI 3 to 18; P = 0.006). In the oligofructose group, total colonic volume increased by 110 mL (95% CI 30 to 190; P = 0.01) and breath hydrogen increased by 16 ppm (95% CI -2 to 35), with a between-group breath hydrogen difference of 27 ppm (95% CI 7 to 50; P < 0.01). Both groups showed reduced total microbial load, but oligofructose…

Study & population

Single-centre, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial in healthy adults without known gastrointestinal disorders or prior FODMAP restriction.

Intervention

Participants followed a 7-day low FODMAP diet and received 14 g/day of added carbohydrate, given as 7 g twice daily.

Key limitation

The intervention was brief (7 days), and the sample was small.

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Original abstract