A study from the University of Michigan Medical School suggests that an immunoglobulin G (IgG) elimination diet can significantly alleviate abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly in constipation-predominant (IBS-C) and mixed-type (IBS-M) patients.
The research involved 238 IBS patients who tested positive for IgG antibodies against 18 foods. Participants followed either an elimination diet or a sham diet for eight weeks. Among 223 evaluated patients, 59.6% of those on the elimination diet experienced at least a 30% reduction in pain, compared to 42.1% in the control group.
The most significant improvements were seen in IBS-C (67.1% vs. 35.8%) and IBS-M (66% vs. 29.5%) patients. The findings suggest that IgG-based dietary adjustments may offer relief for individuals with these IBS subtypes.
The study authors highlight, “Given our promising results, a larger study should be considered, possibly focusing on patients with IBS-C and IBS-M.” However, as the research was funded by Biomerica, potential biases should be considered in the interpretation of results.
