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SCD Question: Crohn’s and Fat Absorbrion

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Posted 7/7/2020 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone! This is post #1 for me. I have been reading the threads on this website for quite some time but had not posted anything yet. Thank you very much to all of the regular contributors out there, this website is such an amazing resource!

My question pertains to the SCD diet and Crohn’s disease. For those if you who are familiar with the diet, essentially it calls for the elimination of all carbohydrates, minus the small amounts gained from fruits and vegetables. Because if this, diet followed must increase the their fat and protein intake to get the adequate amount of calories per day that they need (1 of the 3 macronutrients is essentially stripped away from your diet).

Like a large percentage of Crohn’s warriors out there, I have inflammation/ulcers in the terminal ileum (TI) which is the section of the small intestines that is responsible for bile acid absorption and fat digestion. I’ve seen an incredible number of success stories with SCD and Crohn’s, but I can’t understand how someone with TI Inflammation can be expected to handle the diet due to its reliance on fat calories.

My question are these: How have you SCDers adjusted to the higher intake of fat? Did you eventually begin to heal from the diet itself and begin to absorb fats better?

I’m only a few days into the diet (Intro Phase), so I was curious how some of you who have followed the diet have dealt with/handled the higher intake of fat.

Thank you all for your time!
Posted 7/8/2020 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lloyd,

Welcome...


Digestion of fats happens in the upper part of the small intestine, and throughout the middle section. The liver produces bile, and bile salts. The pancreas produces enzymes. Together they break down fat into small particles, and emulsify it ( make it soluble in water). The fat is then absorbed into the bloodstream via millions of tiny villi that line the small bowel.
The terminal ileum reabsorbs most of the bile salts that are produced in the liver. Digestion and absorption do not take place there.
The problem some Crohns people have is that they can't reabsorb all the bile salts, due to terminal ileum inflammation. So those bile salts enter the large bowel, irritating and causing diarrhoea.

I'm no fan of the sc diet. Carbohydrates are invaluable. However, if it helps you then try it, carefully. It does make people cook from scratch, and also limits a lot of food. You will still be able to digest and absorb fats, even though the liver needs to make more bile and bile salts.

All the best.
Posted 7/13/2020 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
I was never sicker than on the SCD diet unfortunately. I was a teenager and my mother put me on it but I found it so restrictive that I just couldn’t get the nutrients I needed, which just ran my body down further. I flared for about five years straight. As I grew up, I took over my own healthcare and it has definitely improved, now I just actually listen to my body. If I eat something and my body doesn’t like it, I don’t eat it again (or only try it again when I’m not flaring). Over time I have realised that my body loves protein, fresh fish, particularly when I’m flaring, can handle vegetables but only when cooked (I try get enough each night), and doesn’t love processed foods or breads and pasta. Some fruits I can tolerate but not others. I suggest that you listen to your body, the one good thing about this disease is that it will tell you when it’s not happy!
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