Colitis: symptoms, causes & natural treatments

What exactly is colitis?

Colitis is inflammation of the lining of the colon, the part of the gut which goes from the small intestine to the rectum.

It can be acute (occurring suddenly and developing rapidly) or chronic (with persistent effects that usually last more than three months).

It is not a disease as such, but a collection of very varied problems and disorders that lead to inflammation. Provided it is treated quickly, colitis is not usually serious.

Symptoms of colitis

Main symptoms of colon inflammation

Colitis always presents as problems with intestinal transit: diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal pain (which may or may not persist), bloating … (1) Sometimes, it also involves weight loss and fatigue.

On a biological level, there is usually hyperleukocytosis (a raised white blood cell count) and elevated CRP (a marker of inflammation). An endoscopy helps to provide a conclusive diagnosis.

Other symptoms depending on the type of colitis

Additional symptoms may be present depending on the cause of the colitis.

• Infectious colitis: fever and dehydration.
• Antibiotic-induced problems : sometimes bloody diarrhoea and significant pain.
• Radiotherapy-induced problems : blood in stools which may persist for several months after treatment.
• Chronic inflammatory diseases : recurrent blood in stools.
• Irritable bowel syndrome : bloating, gas, problematic digestion, stomach pain.

Persistent diarrhoea can lead to deficiency in certain vitamins due to impaired nutrient absorption and decreased production of vitamins B and K by colon bacterial flora.

What are the potential causes of colitis?

Causes of acute colitis

Acute colitis can be caused by several factors:

• infection by a pathogen: viruses (herpes), bacteria (salmonella, Shigella, yersinia, cholera, staphylococcus, Escherichia coli), fungi (Candida, Histoplasma), parasites (amoeba, trematodes…) It can be the result of food poisoning;
• taking certain medication (usually antibiotics or too many laxatives). This can lead to severe ‘pseudomembranous colitis’;
• poor vascularisation of the colon associated with arterial damage (atherosclerosis) (2): this is referred to as ‘ischaemic colitis’ and is an absolute emergency;
• certain cancer treatments (including radiotherapy of the abdomen and chemotherapy).

Causes of chronic colitis

There are three main causes of chronic colitis:

• irritable bowel syndrome, which results in ‘spasmodic colitis’;
• chronic inflammatory diseases, including Crohn’s disease, during ‘flare-ups’;
• ulcerative colitis, an auto-immune disorder.

Prevention and relief of colitis

Ways of preventing colitis and alleviating its symptoms vary widely depending on the cause:

• to prevent infections, practice good basic hygiene: wash your hands before eating and after going to the toilet, respect food expiry dates, don’t break the cold chain;
• restrict consumption of fatty or spicy foods during episodes of colitis. Avoid coffee, alcohol and fizzy drinks;
• always supplement with probiotics when taking antibiotics (Saccharomyces Boulardii is often recommended in pharmacies);
• the advice to those who suffer from chronic diseases is usually to adopt a special diet, especially during acute phases. Thus in the case of Crohn’s disease, it’s best to avoid dietary fibre (follow the Low-Residue Diet) and irritant foods, in order to minimise the work of the digestive system;
• drink at least 2 litres of water during the day, avoiding large amounts in one go or during a meal;
• split your meals into smaller amounts, without overdoing it, to avoid over-stimulating colon movements, and take care to chew your food thoroughly.

Natural treatments and supplements for colitis

Probiotics and colitis

Several clinical studies (3-4) are looking at the potential benefits of probiotics on the intestinal flora of the colon.

Those containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are the most promising (probiotic supplements targeted at the colon, such as Colon Friendly, usually include the best strains).

The probiotic Saccharomyces Boulardii, meanwhile, is the most widely-documented yeast in the case of diarrhoea. Probiotics are found in a number of foods such as kefir, tempeh, miso and yogurt.

Vitamin supplements to compensate for deficiencies

People who suffer from chronic or recurrent colitis are at risk of deficiency in certain vitamins: their gut flora produces fewer vitamins (especially B group vitamins), absorption via the intestinal barrier is less effective and loss of vitamins can be more significant in the case of bloody diarrhoea.

Supplementation with vitamins and minerals may therefore be considered after consultation with a health professional.

Omega-3 and gut flora

Recommended daily amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, are often far from adequate, yet they do not just support heart and brain health.

They also appear to have a close link with gut flora (5).

It may therefore be worth considering increasing omega-3 intake (preferably via a supplement with excellent digestibility such as Super Oméga-3). It’s important, however, to restrict other fat intake, particularly saturated fats which can lead to ‘fatty diarrhoea’.

Curcumin and inflammation of the gut

Curcumin is a bioactive compound in turmeric which helps to reduce inflammation and support the immune system, of which gut flora is an integral part.

It may be helpful insofar as inflammation of the lining of the colon contributes to dysregulation of the immune system, promoting the selection of pathogenic bacteria over commensal or non-harmful bacteria.

The most bioavailable forms (such as that found in Curcumin Solution) are those most often recommended for colitis.

Taking supplements for colitis: a quick reminder

It goes without saying that all these natural solutions should only be considered under the supervision of a health professional (a gastroenterologist, for example).