Dr. Ali Rezaie Explains the Benefits of the Elemental Diet for GI Health on Gut Feeling with Dr. Pal Podcast
Dr. Ali Rezaie, a renowned gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai and expert on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), recently joined Dr. Pal on the Gut Feeling podcast to discuss the role of the elemental diet in managing GI disorders. In the episode, Dr. Rezaie outlined how the elemental diet, which breaks down food into its simplest components—amino acids, monosaccharides, and fatty acids—provides a “factory reset” for the gut. This reset process is beneficial for patients with conditions like Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO), as it starves non-native bacteria, allowing native, beneficial microbes to flourish.
Dr. Rezaie emphasized the appeal of the elemental diet as a non-pharmacological solution that helps patients avoid antibiotic resistance, which can be a concern with repeated use of antibiotics. Notably, he shared that in clinical trials, patients on an elemental diet (mBIOTA Elemental™) showed a 73% SIBO/IMO eradication rate, surpassing typical antibiotic efficacy. However, Dr. Rezaie acknowledged the traditional downside of elemental diets—their often unpleasant taste—praising recent innovations that make the diet more palatable for adults, thereby improving adherence.
By simplifying the gut’s environment, the elemental diet not only facilitates GI healing but also supports the epithelial lining, reducing the likelihood of “leaky gut.” Dr. Rezaie highlighted its potential not only as a primary treatment but also as an adjunct for patients seeking sustained gut health. His discussion underscores the elemental diet’s transformative role in GI care, particularly as new, palatable options such as mBIOTA Elemental™ become available, enhancing accessibility and effectiveness for patients with chronic GI issues.
