The Latest Crohn’s Disease Research Sends a Message of Hope

Crohn's disease can be a frustrating cycle of diarrhea, belly cramps, and constipation. There's still a lot we don't know about this long-lasting inflammatory disease. Good news, though: For the estimated 3.1 million Americans living with Crohn's, the latest research sends a message of hope. Scientists are getting a better understanding of what triggers Crohn's disease and how diet can make it better or worse. They're also studying new ways to find, track, and treat it.

A typical "Western" diet, high in calories, saturated fat, and sugar, increases inflammation in your gut. This could trigger bowel diseases. This type of diet also throws off the gut microbiome, a careful balance of bacteria and other tiny organisms found in your intestines. New research by researchers from multiple countries found that eating heavily processed foods like soda or sugary cereal can also cause IBD, because they lack nutrients and fiber.

Research has shown that fructose, a type of sugar often found in sweetened drinks and processed foods, might be a problem. But a Mediterranean diet, high in fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts, could have the opposite effect. It may reduce inflammation and improve Crohn's symptoms. A recent study from Massachusetts General Hospital also showed it may cut your odds of having Crohn’s by 60%.

Understanding the body processes that lead to Crohn's could help scientists find ways to prevent or delay it. Researchers at the University of Limerick just published a study that found increased fat deposits surrounding the organs in the belly. The researchers are further studying this idea. Right now, it’s thought that Crohn’s could be a “fatty tissue disease,” meaning that the lesions it forms in your intestine are linked to fat nearby.

There's still no cure for Crohn's. But researchers are looking at lots of new medications for it. A new once-daily capsule called ozanimod, sold under the name Zeposia, works by binding to the surface of immune cells called lymphocytes, which can attack your large intestine. Zeposia stops the damage these cells can do, and right now, it’s approved in the U.S. to treat ulcerative colitis. It’s in late-stage testing to treat Crohn’s. Researchers think it can work to prevent the damage Crohn’s can cause in your GI tract and bowel wall, too.

A new study led by McMaster University found that stress hormones in your body stop the immune response that shields your gut from a group of bacteria, including E. coli, that can cause Crohn’s symptoms. Calming activities like deep breathing, meditation, and yoga may go a long way toward easing your stress and keeping your Crohn’s in check.

A study from Swedish researchers and researchers from Harvard Medical School found that antibiotics, which can affect the microbiome in your gut, may put you at higher risk for Crohn’s. The study stresses how important it is to take antibiotics only when you really need them, and especially avoid unnecessary use of them if you’ve already been diagnosed with Crohn’s.

Many Crohn’s patients need IVs to keep their symptoms in check, which can be time-consuming. But David T. Rubin, MD, chief of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at University of Chicago Medicine, and lead scientific adviser at the GI Research Foundation (GIRF), says that a new class of oral therapies can change that. These are medications made of small molecules, so you can take them by mouth rather than getting an IV.

“At-home stool tests, which are already available in Europe and Canada, will soon be available in the U.S.,” says Rubin. “There’s also an at-home finger prick test in the works that will help you check your inflammation levels and how your medications are affecting your disease. That may make treatment more accessible and effective for more people. That’s important, because not everyone lives near or can get to a gastroenterologist or major medical center regularly.”

Rubin says that promising new research focused within your body could bring relief from Crohn’s flares. “Researchers are looking into how to manipulate the microbiome -- that is, modify the balance of the intestines -- to treat IBD,” he explains. “Right now, scientists are looking at different bacteria that may be anti-inflammatory and would help ease Crohn’s-related inflammation.”

“We’re also working to identify biomarkers that show which patients benefit from particular treatments,” Rubin says. “That would save time and money and lead to better health outcomes. Researchers are even creating devices such as wearable biosensors, that you put on like a watch, to measure spit, saliva, perspiration, and other things to monitor inflammation and give clues on when someone with IBD is going to have symptoms.” The bottom line: Crohn’s patients now have more hope than ever.