Resolution of Severe Ulcerative Colitis with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet

A 73-year-old female of Asian origin was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) after initial gastrointestinal symptoms of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. She had a relatively benign course over the subsequent 12 years. In 2009, she had increased left-sided abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and progressive weight loss, due to a severe exacerbation. In spite of a variety of standard treatments, her condition continued to decline with a significant impact on normal life and functioning. In December of 2010, repeat colonoscopy and microscopy confirmed pancolitis, without diverticulitis. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) was initiated due to failure of conventional therapies. Following this highly restricted diet, within a period of 3–6 months, improvement was noted, and within a year, no abdominal pain or diarrhea were present, and she returned to her baseline functioning and career. Two years later, repeat colonoscopy showed resolution of the pancolitis, confirmed with microscopic evaluation. Successful use of the SCD in children with UC has been documented. We describe previously unreported, highly beneficial results with both symptomatic and clinical improvement and complete remission of UC in an adult female with the SCD.

Rapid partial repigmentation of vitiligo in a young female adult with a gluten-free diet

Vitiligo is a common pigmentary skin condition with a profound impact. Despite a number of therapeutic modalities, few have been demonstrated to result in significant repigmentation within a brief period of time. Reported dietary interventions are sparse. Following exclusion of gluten in the diet, early and extensive repigmentation of facial lesions were noted in a young female adult of Asian ethnicity with acrofacial vitiligo. The majority of the benefits occurred within the first month and stabilized at 4 months. Previous topical and phototherapy had not been found to be effective. The patient was maintained on the previously prescribed dapsone therapy. Dietary elimination can potentially be a disease-modifying intervention for vitiligo and should be considered even in patients without concomitant celiac disease.