Nutritional therapies for ulcerative colitis: Literature review, chart review study, and future research

Few clinical studies suggest a significant influence of diet or nutritional supplementation on ulcerative colitis. One reason is that ulcerative colit is, like many chronic diseases, is multifactorial. This article will descri be and review the relevant literature on ulcerative colitis, including stud ies of (1) diet ann intravenous therapy (2) nutritional status and nutritio nal supplementation, and (3) bowel flora and immune function and their infl uences. Also, results of a retrospective chart review study that was done a t a complementary medicine office will be presented. Finally, suggestions f or future research will be discussed based on a nutritional model of ulcera tive colitis. Taken together, it is hoped that these ai ms will clarify, th e current status of ulcerative colitis research and promote the types of in vestigations that are necessary to establish the validity of nutritional in fluences on ulcerative colitis as well as the mechanisms that are involved.