Overview
- Stanford-led researchers reported that a five‑day, low‑calorie regimen each month for three months improved symptoms in mild‑to‑moderate Crohn’s disease compared with usual diet.
- In the 97‑patient RCT, about 69% of participants on the fasting‑mimicking diet achieved clinical improvement versus roughly 44% in the control group, with remission rates near 65% versus 38%.
- Objective inflammation markers declined in the diet group, including a significant drop in fecal calprotectin, alongside reductions in pro‑inflammatory lipid mediators and cytokine production.
- Reported side effects were generally mild and temporary—mostly fatigue and headache—with no serious adverse events linked to the intervention.
- Authors noted typical dietary‑study limitations and disclosed an industry conflict involving co‑author Valter Longo, while pursuing follow‑up work on microbiome changes and predictive biomarkers.