Is there a link between food and intestinal microbes and the occurrence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis?

Abstract

The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is not fully understood. The interaction between intestinal environmental factors of food and intestinal microbes and the immunological system of hosts seems to be an important aspect. We have reviewed the relationship of the daily consumption of dietary animal meat and fats, dairy products, sugar, and other factors that may be linked to the occurrence of CD and UC from the literature and Japanese epidemiological data. In the present study, we reviewed the association between food and intestinal microbes and other factors contributing to the occurence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from epidemiological data and case-control studies of IBD in the literature that appeared on Medline, and assessed the reports of intestinal microbes involved in the occurrence of IBD. We found several papers describing the positive association of animal meat and sweets and sugar with the occurrence of CD and UC. An analysis of Japanese epidemiological data suggested that the registered number of patients with CD or UC started to increase more than 20 years after an increased daily consumption of dietary animal meat and fats, and milk and dairy products, and after a decreased consumption of rice. Many studies implied a positive role of intestinal microbes in the occurrence of IBD. Intestinal environmental factors, such as Westernized food and intestinal microbes, seem to be involved in the increased occurrence of IBD.

Pathomechanism of Cellular Infiltration in the Perivascular Region of Several Organs in SAMP1/Yit Mouse

“…Most cases of human Crohn's disease are showing the non-specific enteritis symptom during a young age between ten to twenty years old [2]. In Japan, twenty thousands cases/year are reported and patient of this disease is increased in number recently [2].…”

“…In Japan, twenty thousands cases/year are reported and patient of this disease is increased in number recently [2]. Crohn's disease is one of the autoimmune diseases with chronic inflammation and ulcer in the digestive tract from mouth to anus [8,9,16,23].…”

Anti-Colitis Effects of Brown Rice Reported by Experimental Studies

“…Moreover, supplementation with probiotics or prebiotics has been reported to suppress colitis in IBD patients [5]. Therefore, the occurrence and severity of IBD may be influenced by dietary factors [14]. A multicenter case-control study in Japan proposed that a decrease in the daily consumption of rice may be related to the occurrence of IBD [14,15].…”

“…Therefore, the occurrence and severity of IBD may be influenced by dietary factors [14]. A multicenter case-control study in Japan proposed that a decrease in the daily consumption of rice may be related to the occurrence of IBD [14,15]. In contrast, daily consumption of meat and sugar has been associated with an increased incidence of both CD and UC in case-control studies [14].…”

“…A multicenter case-control study in Japan proposed that a decrease in the daily consumption of rice may be related to the occurrence of IBD [14,15]. In contrast, daily consumption of meat and sugar has been associated with an increased incidence of both CD and UC in case-control studies [14]. Although brown rice is regarded as a health or functional food, no large-scale study till date has been conducted to determine whether the consumption of brown rice can attenuate colitis in IBD patients, and clinical evidence of the efficacy of brown rice against IBD remains unclear.…”