# Should i be taking probiotics with lowFODMAP diet?



## Anichka (Aug 17, 2015)

Last week i started on the low fodmap diet, and since then my tummy seems to be less bloated, but i'm still constipated.. in fact i hadn't went to the bathroom for 4 days now, and feel very uncomfortable. I wonder whether it i may be harming the good bacteria in my intestines with this diet. It just seems quite strange that the same diet is used for IBS-D and IBS-C, since both need slightly different diet requirements. 
Is it ok to be taking probiotics while following the diet? The brand that i have is 'INLIFE' Pre and Probiotics, containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.


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## jaumeb (Sep 1, 2014)

Diet and probiotics are not incompatible. As always, probiotics should be introduced slowly as some people experiment negative reactions. Start with a tiny dose.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi Anichka

yes, following a strict low FODMAP diet can cause some constipation in some people. a lot of fodmaps have compounds in them that in addition to being gassy also tend to draw water into the stool and so tend to loosen stools. these are the foods one often finds in diets recommended to help relieve constipation. so the whole thing is kind of tricky--a bit of a balancing act, figuring out what foods work best for you, which foods to keep, which to eliminate or reduce, etc. keeping a food diary is very helpful.

what i've read is that it's suggested to follow the FODMAP diet strictly for approximately four weeks. after that, what you are supposed to do is challenge each group--one food at a time. Wait a few days and then if nothing happens try another food from that group.. and so on. and then go on to challenging another FODMAP group, food by food, etc.

that's what i've done. i now eat a moderate FODMAP diet since i've found that only certain foods bother me, which is good because eating a strict low fodmap diet worsened my constipation.

essentially the diet reduces fermentable carbohydrates which provides symptom relief for many people , but if you're on a strict fodmap diet --especially long term-- it starves our good (and even bad) bacteria of the prebiotics they use for growth which can alter the colonic luminal microenvironment. i've been reading a number of studies recently that say this. That is why many people recommend challenging food groups later on, so that you can have as many prebiotics as possible in your diet.

here's one article about that. there are more online.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25016597


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