Mango Polyphenols May Help Improve Inflammatory Bowel Symptoms

Inflamed bowel symptoms may include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, and unintended weight loss. A recent study suggests that dietary polyphenols derived from mangos may help improve some inflamed bowel symptoms.

Ten people experiencing mild to moderate symptoms participated in the study. They received between 7 and 14 ounces of mango pulp daily for 8 weeks. An index used to assess inflamed bowel symptoms was employed at baseline and after 10 days of supplementation to evaluate the participants’ symptoms. The researchers also measured levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-8 (IL-8), growth-regulated oncogene (GRO), and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

The participants saw significant improvements in their symptom scores at the end of the supplementation period. They also saw decreases in IL-8 (16.2%), GRO (25.0%), and GM-CSF (28.6%). In addition, increases were seen in the abundance of several Lactobacillus species, which previous research has suggested may help reduce diarrhea.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Texas. It was published online ahead of print on January 10, 2020 in the journal Nutrition Research.