Dietary therapy for Crohn's and ulcerative colitis: The importance of fatty acids and sulphur amino acids

Diet therapy has been used for Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis based largely on biochemical observations assignable to the pathogenesis of these diseases. Crohn's colitis (CC) may be improved by modulating fat intake either by increased polyunsaturated fatty acids or changing the fat composition of polymeric/enteral diets. Mild to moderately severe ulcerative colitis (UC) improves by decreasing protein intake particularly those foods high in sulphur amino acids which determine sulphide formation in the colon. Aetiology-specific diet therapy is not currently possible but bacteriotherapy with probiotics or with bacteria altered genetically promise to be of therapeutic value in the future