Importance of nutritional therapy in the management of intestinal diseases: beyond energy and nutrient supply

The gut is an immune-microbiome-epithelial complex. Gut microbiome-host interactions have widespread biological implications, and the role of this complex system extends beyond the digestion of food and nutrient absorption. Dietary nutrients can affect this complex and play a key role in determining gut homeostasis to maintain host health. In this article, we review various dietary nutrients and their contribution to the pathogenesis and treatment of various intestinal diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, and diverticulitis, among other such disorders. A better understanding of diet-host-gut microbiome interactions is essential to provide beneficial nutrients for gut health and to limit nutritional hazards to ensure successful nutritional management of gastrointestinal conditions in clinical practice.