Walnut Consumption Offers Protection against Ulcerative Colitis

Walnut consumption is shown to be protective against inflammation such as ulcerative colitis by changing the metabolites in the fecal stream and tissues.

Highlights:

Eating 20-25 walnuts daily is the suggestion for supplementation
Estimated 3 million U.S. adults reported being diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease -- either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
Walnuts have a multitude of health benefits, including protection against inflammation such as ulcerative colitis

Effects of walnuts as dietary supplements in ulcerative colitis was studied, and it was found that they reduce injury during a flare-up of inflammation in ulcerative colitis. //

Walnut consumption may offer protection against ulcerative colitis, according to a new study by researchers at UConn Health and Texas A&M University.

Health Benefits of Walnuts | Walnut Health Benefits
Walnut, the world’s healthiest brain food has unique health benefits ranging from weight management to prevention of various cancers. Nutrition facts are listed.

‘Walnuts have a wide array of natural compounds and phytochemicals that provide health benefits, especially in chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcerative colitis.’
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How do Walnuts Help?

Through their complex array of natural compounds and phytochemicals, walnuts have been shown to provide a multitude of health benefits, including protection against inflammation and colon cancer.

The latest findings from a study of mice, published in the journal Nutrients, found that walnut consumption also offered protection against experimentally-induced ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is characterized by bouts of diarrhea, bleeding per rectum and pain, which remits and relapses. Fulminant colitis is a possibility, which may require colectomy.

Prevalence of IBD:

Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. In 2015, an estimated 3 million U.S. adults reported being diagnosed with IBD -- either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Digestive Tract Ulcers - Symptom Evaluation
A break in the mucus membrane lining of the digestive tract results in ulcers.

Using the Colitis Model:

The current study, led by Dr. Daniel Rosenberg, professor of medicine, and Masako Nakanishi, assistant professor, at the Center for Molecular Oncology at UConn Health, assessed the effects of walnut dietary supplementation in a colitis model, where colonic mucosal injury is induced by the ulcerogenic agent dextran sodium sulfate. Walnuts accounted for 14 percent of the daily diet in the study -- equivalent of 20 to 25 walnuts in a human.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Inflammatory bowel disease involves chronic inflammation of the colon and small intestine. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain and weight loss.

Study in Mice:

When mice were given walnuts for about two weeks, they suffered much less injury to their colons during an episode of ulcerative colitis and the repair process of the colonic mucosa seemed to be enhanced following the walnut supplementation. The process is referenced as a pre-conditioning of the colon by walnut ingestion. Although it could not be determined whether the pre-conditioned colon was resisting the initial ulcerogenic (ulcer-inducing) damage or facilitating the repair of the damage, the extent of injury in the walnut-treated mice was far less than in the non-treated mice.

Further Analysis:

Further, when changes in metabolites in the fecal stream and tissue were assessed -- after two weeks of being fed walnuts -- a number of alterations were observed. This additional discovery, conducted by Cory Klemashevich, assistant research scientist at Texas A&M University, showed some changes in metabolites which could be key in further understanding how walnuts may be metabolized and working in the colon.

Conclusion & Suggestion:

"We are continuing our work to understand whether those metabolic changes are part of the protection," says Rosenberg. "We are not suggesting that people with ulcerative colitis be maintained on a large walnut diet between active flares. But, we are hoping that we’ll be able to determine the active compounds -- nutrients, phytochemicals -- in walnuts that cause protection."

Further, Clinical Trial:

More research is being done to understand the impact on humans. Currently, Rosenberg’s lab is running a clinical trial conducted by Bruno S. Lemos, postdoctoral fellow. Participants are consuming two ounces of walnuts daily for three weeks before a scheduled colonoscopy. Their metabolites and gut microbiota will be analyzed, and their biomarkers assessed.

Reference:

Walnuts Show Protection Against Ulcerative Colitis in Early Study - (https://today.uconn.edu/2019/08/walnuts-show-protection-ulcerative-colitis-early-study/)

Source-Eurekalert