Crohn's disease: the most effective dietary supplements

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestine that can affect the entire digestive tract, with a predilection for the terminal ileum and the colon. It affects about 1 in 200 people in Western countries, mainly young adults aged 20 to 40. Urban populations and Ashkenazi Jews are more affected, and rates are rising rapidly in Asia and South America in connection with industrialization.

Symptoms

Crohn's disease presents with a variety of intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms, sometimes making diagnosis complex. Chronic diarrhea is the main sign, occurring 5 to 8 times a day, sometimes accompanied by bleeding. Unlike ulcerative colitis (UC), which often remains limited to the left colon and evolves in flares, Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract and follows a more chronic course. Abdominal pain, localized mainly in the region of the terminal ileum, is common, often associated with low-grade fever and weight loss. In case of complications, ulcers, fistulas, or strictures may occur, sometimes requiring emergency surgery. Besides these digestive involvements, extra-intestinal manifestations include: • Articular: peripheral arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, sacroiliitis. • Cutaneous: erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, oral ulcers. • Ocular: uveitis, scleritis, episcleritis. • Hepatobiliary: primary sclerosing cholangitis, gallstones. • Vascular: thromboses, pulmonary embolisms. • Skeletal: osteoporosis, even in the absence of corticosteroid therapy.

Etiology and Diagnosis

The exact causes of the disease remain unclear, but several factors are involved. Genetic mutations, notably in the NOD2 gene, disrupt the immune response, promoting chronic inflammation. An intestinal dysbiosis, characterized by a reduction of anti-inflammatory bacteria such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, contributes to the pathology. Modern diets high in processed foods, as well as early exposure to antibiotics, also increase the risk. Dr. Seignalet suggests that gluten and dairy proteins could impair the intestinal barrier and trigger autoimmune mechanisms. Diagnosis relies on inflammatory markers, such as CRP and fecal calprotectin, as well as on endoscopy and biopsies, which reveal characteristic ulcerations and transmural inflammation. MRI and ultrasound help detect complications such as fistulas and abscesses.

Treatments

Management of Crohn's disease combines several approaches: • Conventional treatments: corticosteroids, immunosuppressants (azathioprine, methotrexate), and targeted biologic therapies (infliximab, adalimumab). • Surgery: reserved for strictures or severe complications. Dr. Seignalet proposes a low-toxicity diet excluding gluten and dairy products, which could restore the intestinal barrier. Although this approach has not yet been scientifically validated on a large scale, it has shown encouraging results for some patients. Finally, herbs such as German chamomile and boswellia, along with a diet rich in soluble fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants, may support intestinal regeneration and reduce inflammation.