Scientific Literature

There are many scientific studies related to Elemental Diets. Below is a list of selected study summaries.

Effects of Exclusive Enteral Nutrition on the Microbiota Profile of Patients with Crohn’s Disease: A Systematic Review

Gatti S, Galeazzi T, Franceschini E, Annibali R, Albano V, Verma AK, De Angelis M, Lionetti ME, Catassi C, Effects of enteral nutrition on the microbiota profile of patients with Crohn’s disease: a systematic review; Nutrients 2017, 9, 832

Despite the high rate of treatment response to enteral nutrition in Crohn's Disease, the exact mechanism of action is poorly understood. This review collates 20 years of study into the subject and concludes that a positive shift in the microbiota is one of the treatment effects. The most frequent reported effects noted were a reduction in microbiota diversity and the induction of bacterial metabolomic changes.

Enteral Nutrition Decreases Hospitalisation Rate in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Watanabe, O.; Ando, T.; Ishiguro, K.; et al Enteral nutrition decreases hospitalisation rates in patients with Crohn’s disease, 2010 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Volume 25 Issue s1, s134-s137

The use of an elemental diet was associated with avoiding hospitalisation in Crohn’s disease patients with ileal lesions and may be useful in improving the long-term convalescence of these patients.

Enteral Feeding as Primary Therapy for Crohn’s Disease in Australia Children and Adolescents: A Feasible and Effective Approach

Day, A.; Whitten, K.E.; Lemberg, D.A.; Clarkson, C.; Vitug‐Sales, M.; Jackson, R.; Bohane, T.D.; Exclusive enteral feeding as primary therapy for Crohn’s disease in Australian children and adolescents: A feasible and effective approach 2006, J Gastroenterol Hepatol, Volume 21, Issue 10

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to be as efficacious as corticosteroids in inducing remission in children with Crohn's Disease with additional nutritional benefits. Twenty-seven children receiving EEN, taken orally, were followed. 80% achieved remission and 4 continued to receive supplementary EEN. All maintained remission after 15.2 months

Elemental Diets and SIBO

Pimentel M, Constantino T, Kong Y, Bajwa M, Rezaei A, Park S. A 14-day elemental diet is highly effective in normalizing the lactulose breath test. Dig Dis Sci. 2004 Jan;49(1):73-7.

Patients with IBS and an abnormal lactulose breath test undertook an exclusive elemental diet for 14 days. Of the 93 patients who completed the diet, 80% returned a normal lactulose breath test on day 15. Of these, 66.4% reported improved bowel symptoms one month after they had completed the diet showing not only immediate benefit but lasting benefit after the diet had concluded.

Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet Plus Partial Enteral Nutrition Induces Sustained Remission in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Levine A, Wine E, Assa A, Sigall Boneh R, Shaoul R, Kori M, Cohen S, Peleg S, Shamaly H, On A, Millman P, Abramas L, Ziv-Baran T, Grant S, Abitbol G, Dunn KA, Bielawski JP, Van Limbergen J. Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet Plus Partial Enteral Nutrition Induces Sustained Remission in a Randomized Controlled Trial, Gastroenterology. 2019 Aug;157(2):440-450

Children were given either exclusive enteral nutrition or the exclusion diet plus partial enteral nutrition. After a period of 6 weeks, both diets were successful in including remission but the exclusion diet plus partial enteral nutrition group achieved a higher rate of sustained remission and changes to the faecal microbiome associated with remission.

Enteral Diets in Combination with Exclusion Diet for Crohn’s Patients Who Have Failed Biological Therapy

Boneh, R.S.; Shabat, C.S.; Yanai, H.; Chermesh, I.;Avraham, S.B.; Boaz, M. and Levine, A. Dietary Therapy with the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) is a Successful Strategy for Induction of Remission in Children and Adults Failing Biological Therapy, Journal of Crohns and Colitis, 2017, 1205-1212

This group investigated several dietary strategies by combining partial enteral nutrition with the CDED and found that dietary treatment combining partial enteral nutrition with the CDED may be a useful salvage regimen for patients failing biological therapy despite dose escalation.

Enteral Diet for Recovery from Stomach Surgery

Chen, Y.; Dang, Y.; Yang, J.; Zhang, G.;. Effects of Early Enteral Nutrition on Patients After Gastrectomy, Food Funct. 2016, 7, 1741-1751

Enteral nutrition is effective and feasible for post operative gastric cancer patients. The optimum time for exclusive enteral nutrition is 24 hours post surgery and oral feeding presents the best effect.

Enteral Nutrition in Combination with Biological Therapy can Enhance Response

Tanaka, T.; Takahama, K.; Kimura, T. et al. Effect of concurrent elemental diet on infliximab treatment for Crohn’s disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2006; 21:1143-9

110 adult patients were followed for 16 weeks after initiating infliximab treatment for Crohn’s disease. These were divided into 2 groups with one group receiving only the biologic and the other group receiving the biologic and an elemental diet concurrently. The patient group receiving the elemental diet had a significantly higher response rate (68.4%) to the biologic than the group receiving the biologic alone (32.4%).