Diet and Nutrition

This Popular Food Additive Might Worsen Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms

Tiny nanoparticles were especially worrisome

These small molecules were detected by the immune system and triggered activation of an inflammatory cascade. This is especially worrisome for people with Crohn's or colitis because inflammation is a part of worsening disease course. It's also been found that in patients who have ulcerative colitis, disruptions in the gut barrier leads to higher concentrations of titanium oxide in the blood. This suggests that small particles of this chemical substance can be absorbed from the food we eat, especially in those with inflammatory bowel disease