Scientists from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have found that removing animal milk from the diet of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis can improve symptoms in most patients. Research published in the journal Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
The study included 129 adults aged 18 to 60 years with confirmed eosinophilic esophagitis. Participants were randomly assigned to either the 1FED group or the 6FED group. The first group excluded only milk from the diet for six weeks, and the second – six different products.
The researchers found that 34% of 6FED participants and 40% of 1FED participants achieved remission after six weeks of dietary therapy. Given the small difference, we can conclude that removing one product from the diet is no less effective than eliminating six products. This means that most patients with eosinophilic esophagitis may benefit from avoiding dairy.
The scientists noted that 80% of those who did not benefit from weaning achieved remission after switching to 6FED. For those who did not benefit from dietary changes, steroid medications helped with remission.
With eosinophilic esophagitis, immune cells called eosinophils accumulate in the esophagus, causing inflammation and disrupting the digestive system. Even swallowing small amounts of food can be very painful for people with this condition.
In the early 2000s, researchers found that eliminating six common dietary triggers for esophageal injury (dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, and nuts) significantly alleviated the course of eosinophilic esophagitis.
The scientists’ results showed that for most people, quitting just one food can be as beneficial as cutting out six. At the same time, such a diet is easier to follow.