Dietary Intakes of Recipients of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation: An Observational Pilot Study

This study reports on the dietary intake of recipients of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), comparing this with dietary guidelines, and investigates the relationship between dietary intake and clinical outcomes. Males and females aged ≥ 16 years with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease undergoing FMT were invited to complete validated symptom and quality of life (QOL) questionnaires and three-day weighed food diaries. Descriptive statistics were calculated for symptom scores, QOL scores, nutrients, and food group servings, and compared to Australian population norms, nutrient reference values, and dietary guidelines. The relationship between dietary intake, symptoms, and QOL was assessed. Participants (n = 18) reported baseline symptoms of urgency, abdominal pain, nausea, and bloating and reduced QOL. Of the participants who completed food diaries, 8/14 met the recommended 30 g of fibre when including supplements. Participants met the recommendations for micronutrients and food groups except calcium, fruit, and dairy/dairy alternatives. There was a non-significant trend towards lower symptom severity scores in participants who met the fibre target. The high degree of variability in participant fibre intakes highlights diet as a key variable that has not been previously controlled for in FMT intervention studies. Future studies examining FMT should include dietary analysis of habitual intake of the recipients and donors.