The Effects of Dietary Changes on Gut-bacteria and Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Microbiome Correlates of Dietary Interventions in Patients With Fibromyalgia and Their Association With Symptom Modification

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of two diets - gluten-free and low-FODMAP diet- in relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia, and study whether these changes could be associated with changes in the gut microbiome (gut bacteria).

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Women over the age of 18, diagnosed with FM.
2. Chronic widespread pain index >= 9 and pain intensity >= 6.
3. Able to read and write in either French or English.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Any major illness (e.g. malignancy, active inflammatory disease, metabolic disease, etc.)
2. Inflammatory bowel disease.
3. Severe depression (HADS score for depression > 10).
4. Current use of LFD or GFD.
5. Pregnancy
6. Vegan diet

The inclusion/exclusion criteria were set to reduce the risk of confounding factors that could affect gut microbiota composition. To date, information on microbiome alterations in individuals with fibromyalgia is only available for female patients, and thus recruitment will be limited to women.