About Lymphocytic Colitis Diets

An uncommon type of inflammatory bowel disease, lymphocytic colitis causes intermittent chronic episodes of diarrhea and abdominal cramping. A very similar type, called collagenous colitis, is so similar that the two disorders are considered one category for treatment purposes. Some diet changes may help relieve the condition.

Main Recommendation

• The main diet recommendation for lymphocytic colitis is eliminating any foods or beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and chocolate, and lactose, such as dairy products. These substances stimulate fluid secretion in the colon, or large intestine.

Exception

• One exception to the anti-dairy recommendation is yogurt, because some patients experience good results after adding a probiotic supplement to their diet. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help restore the proper balance of bacteria in the large intestine, and yogurt is a probiotic source.

Potential

• Some people find relief with a low-fat diet. Others have good results by eliminating alcohol and spicy foods. Researchers have not found any positive results for this type of colitis when people eliminate gluten from their diet, even though gluten sensitivity is linked to some inflammatory bowel disease.

Identification

• People with lymphocytic colitis should keep a food diary and take note of any foods that cause a flare-up. Common problem foods are raw fruits and vegetables, beans, and carbonated beverages, because these tend to cause gas.

Considerations

• People with lymphocytic colitis should avoid anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, because these are linked with colitis symptoms. Acetaminophen is allowed, however. Baylor Medical Center has found that taking high doses of Pepto-Bismol in chewable tablet form is effective in some patients.