Wheat fibre and irritable bowel syndrome. A controlled trial.

Twenty-six patients with irritable bowel syndrome entered a controlled trial of diets with a high or low wheat-fibre content. After 6 weeks on the high-wheat fibre regimen there was significant improvement in symptoms and an objective change in colonic motor activity. No such improvement occurred on the low-fibre regimen. Patients with irritable bowel syndrome should be encouraged to increase their daily intake of wheat fibre.