Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I had been using inulin powder recently along with the Primal Defense Probiotic. I read that inulin helps the probiotic, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. The inulin seemed to be causing me some gut ache, just below my waist, which obviously was not what I was hoping to achieve. I have since read about FODMAPs and that inulin is one of the FODMAPs. Also several of the FODMAP foods do not seem to agree with me and I had been avoiding them since before I knew of FODMAPs.
It got me thinking though, if inulin and other FODMAPs are good for some of the so called "good bacteria" then surely avoiding FODMAPs is not good in the long run?
Also, are the gut aches simply because things are out of balance and just need bringing back into balance gradually by reintroducing FODMAPs or something?

flag	asked Jan 17 2012 at 13:26 Warren D

I'd like to know this, too! – Dragonfly Jan 17 2012 at 14:00

I'd like to be able to eat onions freely. Chris Kresser suggested that FODMAP intolerance was due to gut microbe imbalance and could be resolved, or at least, improved. I guess I need to sign up as a client to find out how! – Ed Jan 17 2012 at 17:00

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You may already know this but all I have managed to find out is that the FODMAPs are supposed to be digested and absorbed in the small intestine. In some of us, this is not happening completely and so the FODMAPs are continuing through the digestive system and fermenting, which causes the bloating etc. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong ok? I'm going to experiment with much smaller portions of the FODMAPs to see if I can figure out the limit that my body can handle because avoiding them completely doesn't seem like a good idea to me. – Warren D Jan 20 2012 at 10:59

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Oh and I also thought about having very small portions of FODMAPs but much more often. Rather than have a clove of garlic at dinner. Have a part of that clove at several meals so that by the end of the day I have still had a clove and hopefully gained the beneficial nutrients from it without having eaten too much at once and causd digestive distress. We shall see. – Warren D Jan 20 2012 at 11:06

Frugal Jen · Answer 1 · 2012-01-25 15:05:18Z UTC

There's some evidence that FODMAPs aggravate Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and it sounds like these are pretty much the symptoms you were giving yourself. It sounds like everyone has individual levels of tolerance, and that these levels can be affected by how many of these FODMAPs one eats together.

Please look into whether you have IBS or IBD.

Then, whether or not you do, I would definitely drop the inulin. I would also check out the link, and have a look at the info on finding a FODMAPs-knowledgeable nutritionist: it sounds like a highly individualized eating plan might be needed when intolerance of these foods is involved.

Bread-Eating Beelzebub · Answer 2 · 2012-01-25 16:18:19Z UTC

"It got me thinking though, if inulin and other FODMAPs are good for some of the so called "good bacteria" then surely avoiding FODMAPs is not good in the long run?"

It's pretty unlikely you are sensitive to all FODMAPs and even more unlikely you are sensitive to everything that feeds good gut bacteria. And even if you were, there is evidence the system adjusts.

Also, the issue is not that things are supposed to be digested in the small intestine. It's not possible for the small intestine to digest things like inulin as far as I know. It's that in your case, inulin feeds certain gut bacteria that produce things like large amounts of methane and other things that cause gut symptoms. How plastic this system is in terms of adjusting the population is a matter of considerable debate in the literature. I find that I am more tolerant than I used to be of some, but not others, but considering that there are other foods like kefir or "safe starches" that can help probiotics work better, I'd prefer not to purchase probiotics that contain inulin.

Aglaee the Paleo RD · Answer 3 · 2012-03-19 05:29:43Z UTC

I used to have FODMAP intolerance and SIBO and although I still need to be careful with my diet, I have A LOT more flexibility with my food choices than I used to have. I can now enjoy almost any vegetables, including onions, broccoli and asparagus without any problems! SOme of my journey is described on my blog adietitiangonepaleo.

I think that eliminating FODMAPs to allow your gut to heal and your gut flora to rebalance itself can make a BIG difference.

I just wrote an article about the Paleo diet & FODMAPs. You will also find a downloadable PDF list of FODMAP Paleo food choices.

If you need more help, I actually am a Paleo dietitian and do online nutrition consultations!

Is it possibe to build up a tolerance to FODMAP foods?

3 Answers