Summary

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a complex condition whose current treatment focuses primarily on suppressing the immune response. However, this approach comes with substantial risks and undesired side effects. Moreover, the effectiveness of these therapies remains incomplete, thus spurring interest in alternative treatments. Historically, dietary and lifestyle interventions for IBD haven't received the same level of investment as pharmacological research. Yet, the rise of microbiota studies, supported by metagenomics data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) analytics, offers new hope. It's becoming evident that diet, coupled with lifestyle factors such as physical activity, stress management, and sleep patterns, can influence gut microbiota and the immune response, affecting IBD progression and outcomes.

Research Hypothesis

This project aims to examine interventions at the dietary and lifestyle levels, intending to encourage a diversified daily intake of foods and nutrients, including plant fibers, probiotics, bioactive compounds, vitamins, and minerals. We postulate that such a varied intake can reshape the gut bacterial populations in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients. This could potentially reduce inflammatory signals while boosting the production of anti-inflammatory compounds within the gut. By altering the gut bacterial dynamics and immune responses, we aspire to lessen the incidence of disease flare-ups. This hypothesis draws inspiration from the real-life experience of one of our researchers, who has managed UC for 30 years. Through a balanced diet and consistent physical activity, he has achieved a state of well-being, participating in marathons and engaging in mountaineering.

Phase 1

To validate our hypothesis, the first phase will delve into how diet and lifestyle influence microbiota composition and the immune system. Collaborating with six hospital centers across various cities, we'll recruit 72 UC patients (in remission) and 72 healthy volunteers for our control group. Over a period of 30 consecutive days, we'll document their dietary habits and lifestyle routines. Metagenomic sequencing will be employed for stool analysis, coupled with blood tests. This data will enable computational analyses to discern correlations between diet, gut microbiota diversity, and other biomarkers, emphasizing the contrasts between the UC and control groups.

Phase 2

Here, the same participants will be subjected to a comprehensive intervention. We'll track their entire food intake, physical activity, sleep patterns, and stress management techniques over another 30 days. Post-intervention, we'll reassess the biomarkers, similar to Phase 1. The comparative analysis of the pre- and post-intervention data aims to extract pivotal insights from the project. Our primary goal is to uncover scientific evidence that validates how a comprehensive dietary and lifestyle approach can recalibrate the microbiota and immune system. Such a shift can potentially improve UC management, enhance patient quality of life, and reduce associated medical costs.