Around 38 million adults in the U.S. experience digestion issues, but following one diet could help alleviate symptoms, suggests a new study.
Have a Sensitive Belly? This Popular Diet Could Relieve It
Published on Jun. 20, 2025
Who among us hasn’t had stomach problems? That’s why we stock our medicine cabinets with antacids, antidiarrheals, and more. But while some people experience digestive issues after a particularly spicy meal or an intense bout of anxiety, others have accepted uncomfortable symptoms as part of their everyday life due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is a “group of symptoms that affect your digestive system,” explains the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms can include abdominal cramps, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that 10 to 15% of American adults—potentially up to 38 million people, per U.S. Census Bureau data—experience IBS symptoms.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a one-size-fits-all treatment for IBS, though there are multiple ways in which symptoms can be managed. Following a low-FODMAP diet, for example, is one solution, which a research team based in Saudi Arabia aimed to learn more about.
In May, medical journal Scientific Reports published a study from researchers associated with King Abdulaziz University that discussed the effects of a FODMAP diet in adult patients who were diagnosed with mild to severe IBS and experienced “persistent diarrhea” or “a combination of constipation and diarrhea.”
FODMAP” stands for “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols”—a “certain class of carbohydrates,” explains the Cleveland Clinic. These carbohydrates are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and ferment in the colon, where they produce gas and draw water into the bowel—processes that could potentially trigger or worsen bloating, cramps, and irregular bowel movements in people with IBS.
A low-FODMAP diet involves the elimination of select carbs so that your gut lining has “a chance to repair itself and can help restore a healthy balance of gut flora.
Per the Cleveland Clinic, when committing to this often-temporary diet, a person needs to stop eating high-FODMAP foods like apples, milk, wheat or rye-based breads, and legumes in favor of low-FODMAP foods like strawberries, almond or soy milk, oats, and eggs. Then, over time, that person would typically reintroduce one high-FODMAP food at a time to assess their body’s reaction to that food.
Using data collected by questionnaires, interviews, Zoom sessions, and a WhatsApp group chat, researchers examined the symptoms experienced by 45 adult participants before and after following the FODMAP diet. The 12 men and 33 women studied were between 18 and 45 years old, had a “normal” body mass index, and “did not report the use of any drugs, antibiotics, or dietary supplements.”
They were also patients at either the Department of Family Medicine at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) or the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) of King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah.
The study reportedly involved two phases: a six-week Restriction Phase, during which patients “[eliminated] high-FODMAP foods under guidance,” and a four-week Reintroduction Phase, during which patients “gradually reintroduced specific FODMAP groups to identify individual food triggers and tolerance levels.”
Researchers reported that 82.2% of patients experienced moderate symptoms and 17.8% experienced severe symptoms before starting the diet. After adopting the diet for 10 weeks, however, researchers claimed that 86% of patients experienced moderate symptoms and 14% experienced mild symptoms.
This suggests that a low-FODMAP diet “led to significant improvement in IBS symptoms and encouraged healthier eating habits among adult participants.”
Though the diet could be beneficial, the study’s authors highlight that it may have led to “changes in weight and potential nutrient deficiencies.” So, people interested in trying the FODMAP diet themselves should consult a medical professional first.
The study’s authors concluded, “Future research should explore long-term outcomes and strategies to improve adherence.”
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