A succinct review (BE Lacy. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015; 13: 1899-1906) reviews the topic of dietary interventions for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Here are some of the points:

• “True food allergies are present in 1% to 4% of the US population, but are not more prevalent in IBS patients.”
• One study found that “more than 1 in 4 patients with self-reported NCGS [nonceliac gluten sensitivity] actually fulfill the diagnosis.”  In other words, most patients with self-reported NCGS do not have NCGS.
• “The prevalence of lactase deficiency is similar, or slightly higher, in IBS patients compared with healthy subjects; however, the self-reporting of symptoms attributed to lactose intolerance is not reliable.”
• Potential mechanisms of food triggering GI symptoms were discussed, including intestinal permeability, visceral hypersensitivity, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, and gut microbiome.

Another article which covers the same topic: PR Gibson et al. Gastroenterol 2015; 148: 1158-74.