What is IBD?
Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are classified as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and cause chronic inflammation and damage in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This inflammation can impair the GI tract’s ability to do its jobs of proper digestion, absorption and elimination. Symptoms such as persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss and fatigue are common in those with IBD. While chronic inflammation occurs in both Crohn’s disease and UC, there are important differences between the two.
When colitis is present, but a firm diagnosis in unable to be given, some will be diagnosed with indeterminate colitis. Most people with indeterminate colitis are eventually diagnosed with either Crohn’s or UC.
Microscopic colitis, which is visible only under a microscope, is less common and tends to overlap with other autoimmune disorders.
The nutrition goals with all forms of IBD are typically the same - to reduce inflammation and ensure adequate nutrient absorption.
Causes of IBD
While the exact cause of IBD is not entirely understood, it is believed that it involves an interaction between genes, the immune system, the microbiome, and environmental factors. While the immune system normally just attacks and kills foreign invaders (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi), the immune systems in those with IBD mount inappropriate responses to the intestinal tract, resulting in inflammation and the accompanying symptoms. This abnormal immune system response occurs in people who have inherited genes that make them susceptible to IBD. Environmental factors, many of which have not yet been identified, serve as triggers that initiate the harmful immune response. There is still much to be discovered, and much being studied right now, regarding the cause of IBD.