A speaker argues that eliminating fiber can help certain gut conditions. In IBS-C patients, stopping fiber completely resolved bloating and straining 100% of the time. Fiber-free diets also induced remission in 60-85% of treatment-resistant Crohn's disease cases, possibly by reducing the pathobiont Mucosporillium.
We've been told for years that fiber is a must-have for gut health, and that without it, your microbiome will crumble faster than a stale bran muffin. But what if I told you, you don't actually need dietary fiber at all? It's important to bear in mind that every person's circumstance is different, and some people may be dealing with gastrointestinal conditions that could actually benefit from fiber reduction or even complete fiber elimination. In some cases of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, fiber elimination can actually improve constipation. As reported in this widely circulated report where those who stopped fiber intake completely had increased bowel movement frequency and 100% elimination in symptoms of bloating and straining. Sounds pretty good if you have IBS with constipation. And for those with inflammatory bowel disease, IBD, fiber elimination can also be beneficial. In fact, treatment-resistant cases of Crohn's disease are pretty responsive to fiber-free diets and can be prescribed and promote remission in 60 to 85% of cases. The mechanism is thought to have to do with changes in the microbiome, particularly in an intestinal pathobiont called Mucosporillium, as has been reported in this paper in Cell Host and Microbe.
