Published online Aug 7, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i29.5356
Peer-review started: February 8, 2017
First decision: March 16, 2017
Revised: March 31, 2017
Accepted: May 19, 2017
Article in press: May 19, 2017
Published online: August 7, 2017
Processing time: 186 Days and 7.5 Hours
To analyse the association between isoflavone intake and ulcerative colitis motility symptoms in individuals in remission.
Cross-sectional study was conducted in a group of ulcerative colitis remission individuals, in sub-groups characterised by various intestinal motility and functioning characteristics (abdominal pain, flatulence, constipations, tenesmus). Total of 56 individuals with ulcerative colitis in remission (19 males and 37 females) were recruited for the study. Assessment of diet was based on self-reported data from each patient’s dietary records taken over a period of three typical, random days (2 weekdays and 1 d of the weekend). The daily isoflavone intake (daidzein, genistein, glycitein and total isoflavones) and daily isoflavone intake per 1000 kcal of diet were assessed.
No correlations between isoflavone intake levels and number of bowel movements per day were observed both in the case of intake and intake per 1000 kcal of diet. In the group of individuals declaring lack of abdominal pain, the higher intakes of daidzein (P = 0.0075), daidzein per 1000 kcal of diet (P = 0.0358) and total isoflavone (P = 0.0358) were stated, than in the group of individuals declaring abdominal pain. In the group of individuals declaring lack of constipations, the lower intakes of glycitein (P = 0.0213) and glycitein per 1000 kcal of diet (P = 0.0213) were stated, than in the group of individuals declaring presence of constipations. No differences were observed in isoflavone intake between groups of ulcerative colitis individuals declaring lack of flatulence and declaring presence of flatulence, as well as between groups declaring lack of tenesmus and declaring presence of tenesmus.
The moderate dietary isoflavone intake may be beneficial for individuals with ulcerative colitis in remission, however, before including it into recommendations, further prospective studies are needed.
Core tip: Studies assessing influence of isoflavones on inflammatory bowel disease are contradictory. In presented study a higher daidzein, glycitein and total isoflavones intake in ulcerative colitis individuals in remission were associated with lack of abdominal pain and declared constipations. The effect of isoflavone may be dose-dependent, as in conducted study, an isoflavone intake was over 10 times lower, that in Japanese study, in which it was indicated, that isoflavone intake may be associated with increased risk of the disease. It may be stated, that in European countries, due to lower intake than in Asian ones, beneficial isoflavone effect may be observed.