FOR people with chronic tummy troubles, the prospect of festive feasting can be daunting rather than exciting.
You might be able to relate to this if you have ulcerative colitis, even if foods don’t necessarily trigger your symptoms of diarrhoea, weight loss, tiredness and tummy pain.
GettyThe amino acid tryptophan – found in foods like turkey – could help ease ulcerative colitis flare-ups, a study on mice has suggested[/caption]
But new research conducted on mice suggests that Christmas dinner staples like turkey, pigs in blankets, nut roast and stuffing could provide sufferers some relief.
A study conducted by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University suggested that foods high in the amino acid tryptophan – like turkey, pork, nuts and seeds – could reduce the risk of a colitis flare-up.
Earlier research suggests other common sources of tryptophan are oats, bananas, dried prunes, milk, tuna fish, cheese, bread, chicken, peanuts, and chocolate – some of which may also feature in your December 25 spread.
Colitis is a long-term condition where the inner lining of the large intestine and rectum become inflamed and develop small ulcers that can bleed and produce pus.
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of the condition – which can come and go in what’s referred to as flare-ups – include:
Recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus
Needing to poo frequently
People with colitis might also experience extreme tiredness, loss of appetite and weight loss.
There are an estimated 296,000 sufferers in the UK, according to the NHS.
Senior author of the study and assistant professor of immunology at Thomas Jefferson University, Dr Sangwon Kim, said: “Although there are some treatments for ulcerative colitis, not everyone responds to them.
“This disease has a huge impact on quality of life, and can lead to surgery to remove the colon or cancer.”
Dr Kim and his colleagues looked for ways to cool down the inflamed tissue of the bowel and rectum.
Using mice, they focused on a group of immune cells called T-regulatory (T-reg) cells, which they said can help break the cycle of inflammation.
With the aim of attracting more T-reg cells to the colon, researchers found that specific receptors on the surface of T-reg cells, called CPR15, act like a magnet for the colon.
A news release for the study said: “The more of this receptor, called CPR15, the T-reg cells have, the more strongly they’re attracted to the colon.
“So they searched for molecules that could make T-reg cells produce more GPR15 to turn up the power of the magnet.
“They found tryptophan – or one of the molecules that tryptophan breaks down into in the body – could increase these receptors called GPR15.”
To test the effect of tryptophan on colitis, researchers added the amino acids into the diets of mice for two weeks and compared it with a control group.
They saw a doubling in the amount of inflammation-suppressing T-reg cells in the colon tissue, compared to mice that weren’t fed extra tryptophan.
Mice fed the amino acid also had a reduction of colitis symptoms.
The positive effects seemed to last for a week after tryptophan was removed from the mice’s diet.
But when it was given to mice during a colitis flare-up, researchers found it provided little benefit.
This suggested that tryptophan might only be effective at preventing future flare-ups rather than treating them once they’ve hit.
Dr Kim and his team plan to conduct clinical trials to see whether these results might apply to people with colitis.
He suggested that a tryptophan supplement not exceeding 100 milligrams per day may be sufficient to see benefits in humans, but further research is needed to back this claim up.
Ways to manage ulcerative colitis
Since the study – published in Nature Communications – was conducted on mice, it doesn’t necessarily mean the results will translate to humans.
Nor should you gorge yourself on turkey and nut roasts in the hope of alleviating your ulcerative colitis symptoms.
You should speak to a GP if you think you have colitis, so that you can have the condition treated.
Colitis tends to be controlled with medicines, surgery or a combination of both, according to the charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
“There isn’t any clear evidence that specific foods cause, cure or treat the inflammation in colitis,” it added.
“The most important thing is to try to eat a nutritious and balanced diet so that you maintain your weight and strength.
“It’s also important to drink enough fluids to stop you getting dehydrated.”
Cronh’s & Colitis said some sufferers who experience gut side effects from certain foods might benefit from making small changes to their diet, such as avoiding spicy food, dairy or raw vegetables.
“If cutting out a food makes no difference to your symptoms, make sure you start eating it again to avoid missing out on important nutrients,” the charity noted.
Others might find it helpful to reduce the amount of fibre they eat when they’re having a colitis flare-up to control the increased urge to go to the loo.
But it’s important to increase your fibre intake again if you can once the flare-up is over.
It’s critical to speak to a dietitian before making any changes to your diet, and this is especially important when you have a gut condition.