Elemental diets and medical meal replacements have been shown to be effective in reducing gut inflammation and bacteria overgrowth, but palatability is often a barrier for patients who need them. Traditionally, “it tastes like hot garbage, and the amino acids stick to your tongue so you have this horrific taste in your mouth all day,” says Nicola Wodlinger, CEO of Mbiota Labs, which created an elemental diet intended to be tastier for patients. Researchers with Cedars-Sinai and Mbiota found this year in clinical trials that its formula led to higher compliance among patients treating small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), alongside positive results for improving gut biome.
