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Diet (SCD especially) how long does it take to see results?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/24/2019 2:58 AM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
Is there any reading on the science and data behind SCD legal and illegal foods, and other choices made? Not an anecdotal, narrative book about it's many virtues written by a true-believer, but rather a non-biased analysis of the hard numbers with research and data on which it is based.

https://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/novel-diet-therapy-helps-children-with-crohns-disease-and-ulcerative-colitis-reach-remission/
“In a first-of-its-kind-study led by Suskind, published today in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, diet alone was shown to bring pediatric patients with active Crohn’s and UC into clinical remission. “


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/s2212267215005043
In this clinical description, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, data was collected on 50 physician-documented IBD patients, all who were following the SCD diet and in remission. The participants followed SCD for a mean (average) time of 35.4 months.

Participants had either Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s or indeterminate colitis. Forty-four subjects (88%) reported eating SCD yogurt, 33 of whom (67%) ate it daily and twenty-six subjects (52%) used a supplementary probiotic. Adherence to the diet was self-reported at a mean of 92.5%.

The Results: Out of 22 patients who weren’t taking medications, 16 had discontinued all steroids, 3 had discontinued TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) inhibitors, and 5 had discontinued Mercaptopurine and remained in remission while following SCD.
Thirty-three subjects (66%) noted complete symptom resolution, which did not occur until a mean of 9.9 months after starting the SCD diet.
The SCD diet was rated as 91.3% effective in controlling acute flare symptoms and 92.1% effective at maintaining remission (as a mean).

Post Edited (IamCurious) : 2/24/2019 5:33:33 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/24/2019 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately, studies like that are useless.
It was done back in 2015:
They obtained survey data from 50 patients in remission, who were already following the SCD and who were recruited through SCD message boards.
Posted 2/24/2019 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have to agree with Ambling, this study does not provide any evidence. Yes, it give us some information, but no evidence.

Studies like this:

"They obtained survey data from 50 patients in remission, who were already following the SCD and who were recruited through SCD message boards."

are heavily biased an have lot of methodical mistakes.
I know it is not easy to do valid controlled trial on a diet, but it is possible.
Posted 2/24/2019 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
I tried SCD for a couple of months but I didn't see any improvements. It did, however, give me me alot more gas and thus discomfort from all the extra fibre from eating so many vegetables. Additionally I was constantly exhausted from a diet with essentially no carbohydrates, and it had a very negative impact on my strength in gym sessions. Another thing that put me off the SCD is that all the reports of people having success on SCD also reported that as soon as they started consuming carbohydrates again their symptoms came straight back, and to stay on a diet as restrictive as the SCD for the rest of my life was an unnacceptably miserable thought.
Posted 2/24/2019 12:52 PM (GMT 0)

Ambling said...
Unfortunately, studies like that are useless.
It was done back in 2015:
They obtained survey data from 50 patients in remission, who were already following the SCD and who were recruited through SCD message boards.


But what about the first study that was cited in my post:
“In a first-of-its-kind-study led by Suskind, published today in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, diet alone was shown to bring pediatric patients with active Crohn’s and UC into clinical remission.”

Mrsmith687 said...
I tried SCD for a couple of months but I didn't see any improvements.


Thank you for sharing. Nobody is saying diet works for everyone but please let us not ignore the scores of IBDers who have seen with our own eyes the effectiveness of diet on quality of life. That is the whole point for forums like this, sharing our diverse experiences.
Posted 2/24/2019 7:54 PM (GMT 0)

Mrsmith687 said...
Additionally I was constantly exhausted from a diet with essentially no carbohydrates, and it had a very negative impact on my strength in gym sessions. Another thing that put me off the SCD is that all the reports of people having success on SCD also reported that as soon as they started consuming carbohydrates again their symptoms came straight back, and to stay on a diet as restrictive as the SCD for the rest of my life was an unnacceptably miserable thought.

I had the same frustration when I started SCD. I felt I had a healthy diet before - mostly vegetarian, lots of whole grains and veggies. To completely cut out carbohydrates, especially ones that I felt were "healthy" seemed wrong to me. In addition, I began eating more meat and animal products which we are often told is a less healthy style of eating, but I needed the calories and energy! I went from eating veggie burgers with whole grain buns, to beef burgers with no bun. It didn't seem or feel like a "healthier" lifestyle choice, so I fell off the diet many times even though it was working for me. I couldn't wrap my head around depriving myself of certain things. Fast food, preservatives, sugary desserts - totally understand why I shouldn't eat those. But quinoa!? Seriously? How can that be BAD for me?
It took me a long time to get over mourning the things I felt I lost, and instead just focus on the fact that this diet seriously works for me. 4 years later it's just my way of life. I'm at a healthy weight, have energy and am fit. My partner and I have come to really enjoy eating this way now that we have a rolodex of favourite meals, snacks, desserts, etc. We're never hungry or deprived. Now that I'm in good shape I let myself half a little cheat here and there, like a gluten free pizza from this amazing pizza place in our neighbourhood. My boyfriend and I will go out for meals, I'll get something safe like fish and veggies at an italian spot, or shrimp and veggie curry at a thai spot, but I'll allow myself a couple of bites of his pasta or pad thai. These things don't stop tasting amazing! But the desire to eat an entire portion of them is gone because I know what it will do to me and it's not worth it.
I'm not promoting that SCD works for everyone. But I do think it's worth trying. If it DOES work for you, or some variation of it, a major part of the battle is sticking to it. It took a loooong time to get to this place but believe it or not, it IS possible to be happy on a "restrictive" diet.
Posted 2/25/2019 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
MariaMaria - I totally agree! I feel like cutting out an entire food group goes against every foundation of nutrition I know, however, for some strange reason it’s working. My DH is the one with moderately severe UC and been on it for 5 days. He’s already had significant changes. I posted and will add a few more posts about his progress. He was the most doubtful person to think it would work for him, but here we are with fingers crossed to remission!
Posted 2/25/2019 5:58 PM (GMT 0)

brucen36 said...
The theory is that simple monosaccharide sugars can be absorbed by cells in the small intestine easily before they reach the colon because there are transporters for them in the small intestine. This is a fact. Double sugars and higher must be broken down first. Natural fruits and orange juice without sugar added in fact has very little sucrose and is composed mainly of glucose and fructose, both of which are monosaccharides.

Yes I understood that much, but its still not shown that all monosaccharides would always be completely absorbed in the small intestine before they reach the colon and many of the foods that are in the SCD like dried apricots contain both. Elaine writes that dried fruit supports "certain" bacteria. I find SCD to contain (like that statment) so many vague statements that its impossible to disprove or prove any of it.
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