The role of food intolerance in irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome patients frequently believe that food intolerances are to blame for many of their symptoms, although not uncommonly this is caused by the nonspecific increase in gut motility that occurs with food ingestion. Nevertheless, dietary manipulation may result in substantial improvement in IBS symptomatology provided it is individualized to the particular patient. By further understanding the mechanisms involved in dietary intolerance, it should be possible to optimize the benefits of this approach to treatment.