HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/29/2018 2:43 PM (GMT -5)
I'm about to try Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN). SCD has helped a lot, my BMs are much more formed and I'm mostly pain free, but every time I go to the bathroom (1-3x per day) I wipe and there's blood and mucous. So I'm hoping 2-4+ weeks of EEN can get me into full remission and then I'll add back food.

I've read 10-15 studies now on EEN and very few list their specific EEN protocol but someone in an IBD group told me that Ensure and Boost are what have been studied and therefore they recommend this over a homemade formula. This is my confusion...I have not come across a single study mentioning either of those products. Additionally, the ingredients in those products are terrible. Maltodextrin (shown in studies to be harmful for IBD), high omega-6 vegetable oils, carrageenan (shown in studies to be harmful for IBD), not to mention certain foods that are common allergens like soy and milk products.

Frankly, it would be WAY easier for me to just buy those drinks but I'm not seeing any reason why that would be superior over me just combining dextrose + amino acids + MCT oil along with the SCD legal Freeda Multivitamin. It'll taste gross but seems to be the most basic form of everything. Or even subbing out the amino acids with a flavored whey protein I have as even that would still be better than what's in Boost/Ensure.

Any thoughts or experience here?
Posted 12/30/2018 2:36 AM (GMT -5)
Yeah I don't think the data is there to suggest it works but given that many try ensure or boost doesn't make me very confident in the studies. But there are also studies where individuals had a temporary ileostomy and went into remission but once reversed and reconnected they eventually went back to flaring. So temporary changes that may help but can't be sustained may not be the best plan of attack for UC. For you it may be worth the try and may allow your meds to be more effective over the short time frame. I would look into orgain drinks which are essentially ensure and boost but with cleaner ingredients. The have a pea protein and milk protein version so you could mix it up if you want. I'm not sure if they would be sufficient enough to supply all of your macro and micro nutrient needs though.
Posted 12/30/2018 8:47 AM (GMT -5)

Curious Crapper said...
Yeah I don't think the data is there to suggest it works but given that many try ensure or boost doesn't make me very confident in the studies. But there are also studies where individuals had a temporary ileostomy and went into remission but once reversed and reconnected they eventually went back to flaring. So temporary changes that may help but can't be sustained may not be the best plan of attack for UC. For you it may be worth the try and may allow your meds to be more effective over the short time frame. I would look into orgain drinks which are essentially ensure and boost but with cleaner ingredients. The have a pea protein and milk protein version so you could mix it up if you want. I'm not sure if they would be sufficient enough to supply all of your macro and micro nutrient needs though.

When you say " I don't think the data is there to suggest it works" are you saying EEN in general? Because there are loads of studies showing EEN works just as well as corticosteroids (~80% of participants going into remission).

Also I just looked into the Orgain drinks and there are a bunch of gums, sugar alcohols, etc.
Posted 12/30/2018 9:47 AM (GMT -5)
What studies are you referencing that show EEN is effective for adults with UC?
Posted 12/30/2018 12:22 PM (GMT -5)
I can only imagine that you are looking at data for CD studies which is not going to be useful for UC patients. We tend to not deal with severe malnutrition or sticturing like a CD patient might when flaring. As for the orgain, you must be looking at the powder they sell and not their premade nutrition drinks like boost.
https://www.orgain.com/protein/nutrition-shakes/vegetarian-protein-shakes.html?from=Catalog#851770003216
Posted 12/31/2018 10:04 AM (GMT -5)
It works. Research scientific publications. When I was diagnosed in 2008, I researched extensively and found Japan was the only country that uses such a treatment option for IBD. I could not get it where I lived at that time in Europe and was put on standard medications. But if you have access to such, I strongly recommend you to try it.
Posted 12/31/2018 1:42 PM (GMT -5)
I see a ton of research using EEN for Crohn's. Yet to find anything relating to UC other than a few small studies that showed no benefit vs. placebo. Not questioning you, just interested in the research you (and the OP) are referencing.
Posted 1/1/2019 7:23 PM (GMT -5)
Yes I suppose most of the studies were on Crohns patients and not UC. I was just thinking of IBD in general. Is there a reason it wouldn't work for UC? Also can you post the studies you mentioned that show UC doesn't benefit from EEN?

I was planning on starting it this coming weekend.
Posted 1/1/2019 10:34 PM (GMT -5)
Let us know how it turns out for you!
Posted 6/17/2020 12:51 PM (GMT -5)
Just wanted to update this thread. I did 3 days of Ensure soon after posting and it was absolutely miserable. I am seriously amazed that it could help anyone. I had been doing ketogenic SCD beforehand and wow, I had more gas in those 3 days than I had in the entire 3 months prior, not remotely an exaggeration. I cramped a lot and bled.

I tried to then do 1 day of my own homemade EEN (MCT oil + Essential Amino Acids + Dextrose) which was absolutely putrid and caused cramps.

Very bad experiment. If I ever do EEN again I will just buy the premade Physicians Elemental and see how that goes. Drinking my homemade product was intolerable and the Ensure/Boost product was astoundingly bad. Again it's hard to imagine anyone doing ok with the crap in those products.

Right now I am playing around with SCD / Keto / Fasting....all of which help me but nothing seems to get me in complete remission.
Posted 6/17/2020 2:10 PM (GMT -5)
Hi David,

I have a similar experience. I had really good results for six + years on SCD and didn't take any meds. But since last year I am have symptoms again. I am back on meds (mesalamine enemas and tablets) that are helping a lot but am still having some pains. Have you heard of the AIP protocol? Basically it's like SCD but without dairy, night shades, nuts and eggs. Yikes! I think I might try it or at least stop dairy and see how that helps. Hope you find relief soon!
Posted 6/18/2020 9:42 AM (GMT -5)
i wouldn't touch that ensure garbage with a ten foot turd -

playing with treatments seems to be kind of the norm for many UC sufferers - some folks get lucky, some not so much -

hang in there !

TT
Posted 6/23/2020 8:59 AM (GMT -5)

Lili35 said...
Hi David,

I have a similar experience. I had really good results for six + years on SCD and didn't take any meds. But since last year I am have symptoms again. I am back on meds (mesalamine enemas and tablets) that are helping a lot but am still having some pains. Have you heard of the AIP protocol? Basically it's like SCD but without dairy, night shades, nuts and eggs. Yikes! I think I might try it or at least stop dairy and see how that helps. Hope you find relief soon!

I am familiar with AIP yes, as if SCD wasn't strict enough! Tough disease for sure.

TroubledTurds said...
i wouldn't touch that ensure garbage with a ten foot turd -

playing with treatments seems to be kind of the norm for many UC sufferers - some folks get lucky, some not so much -

hang in there !

TT

Yea it's hard to imagine it's almost standard protocol for some treating pediatric Crohn's Disease. The ingredients are horrible and like I said it really messed me up.

I think EEN itself can be useful but not with that formula.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply