Food Additives, Gut Microbiota, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Hidden Track

Emanuele Rinninella, Marco Cintoni, Pauline Raoul, Antonio Gasbarrini and Maria Cristina Mele
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Emanuele Rinninella: UOC di Nutrizione Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy
Marco Cintoni: Scuola di Specializzazione in Scienza dell’Alimentazione, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
Pauline Raoul: UOSD di Nutrizione Avanzata in Oncologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy
Antonio Gasbarrini: UOC di Medicina Interna e Gastroenterologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy
Maria Cristina Mele: UOSD di Nutrizione Avanzata in Oncologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: The interactions between diet, gut microbiota, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have many complex mechanisms that are not fully understood. Food additives are one component of the modern human diet that deserves attention from science and government policies. This review aims at identifying the current knowledge about the impact of food additives on gut microbiota and their potential role in the development of IBS. To date, few data on the effect of food additives on gut microbiota in IBS patients are available. However, exposure to food additives could induce the dysbiosis and dysregulation of gut homeostasis with an alteration of the gut barrier and activation of the immune response. These microbial changes could exacerbate the gut symptoms associated with IBS, such as visceral pain, low-grade inflammation, and changes in bowel habits. Some additives (polyols) are excluded in the low fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharide, and polyol (FODMAP), diets for IBS patients. Even if most studies have been performed in animals, and human studies are required, many artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, and food colorants could represent a potential hidden driver of IBS, through gut microbiota alterations. Consequently, food additives should be preventively avoided in the diet as well as dietary supplements for patients with IBS.

Keywords: food additives; IBS; microbiota; artificial sweeteners; polyols; emulsifiers; carboxymethylcellulose; polysorbate-80; titanium dioxide; food preservatives; personalized medicine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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