What Is an Elemental Diet, and Can You Use It for Weight Loss?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Aug 6, 2019
- 2 min read
An elemental diet is comprised of easily digestible formulas that come in liquid or powder form and provide all the nutrients your body needs.
It’s intended for those who have severe digestive issues and usually followed under the supervision of a trained medical team.
Some people may attempt to follow an elemental diet to lose weight, despite the lack of evidence supporting its use for reasons other than treating specific medical conditions.
This article explains what an elemental diet is and reviews its potential benefits, downsides, and effectiveness for weight loss.
What is an elemental diet?
An elemental diet consists of nutritionally complete, easily digestible formulas. It is usually used to manage digestive diseases and other medical issues, but some people may try it for weight loss.
An elemental diet is often prescribed to people who have severe digestive issues. It has been shown to help manage symptoms related to the following diseases.
Crohn’s disease: This inflammatory bowel disease is marked by abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE): EoE is an inflammatory disease that damages your esophagus and leads to difficulty swallowing, chest pain, and heartburn.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): SIBO is characterized by excessive bacteria in your small intestine, which leads to bloating, gas, and stomach pain.
Additionally, healthcare providers may prescribe elemental diets for people who have undergone surgeries of the digestive tract or intestines, as well as those who struggle to meet their nutrient needs, such as people with cancer or anorexia nervosa.
Some people may be drawn to an elemental diet to help them lose weight, but it’s not intended for this purpose.
How an elemental diet works
People who follow an elemental diet typically rely on elemental formulas for all their nutritional needs and do not eat solid food. They are usually supervised by a medical team and follow the diet until their symptoms improve.
Can it help you lose weight?
It’s easy to meet your nutrient needs and control the number of calories you consume on an elemental diet. However, elemental formulas are not intended for weight loss nor recommended without the supervision of a healthcare provider.
Other benefits of an elemental diet
An elemental diet can help manage diseases that affect the digestive tract, including Crohn’s disease, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Downsides of the diet
There are several downsides to following an elemental diet for weight loss.
For one, it should only be followed under the supervision of a healthcare provider and is not recommended for those who do not have a specific medical condition.
Following an elemental diet for weight loss is unnecessarily restrictive and expensive and may lead to fatigue and blood sugar spikes.
Should you try an elemental diet?
An elemental diet can help treat severe digestive issues, but it’s likely unnecessary and overly restrictive for an otherwise healthy adult who is trying to lose weight.
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