Of the ulcerative colitis patients, 29.6 percent developed cancerous lesions, indicating the high risk for colon cancer in colitis patients. However, the greater the dose of supplemental folate consumed, the lower the rate of colon cancer. Colitis patients should avoid raw fruits and vegetables to reduce physical injury to the inflamed lining of the large intestine. A diet free of dairy products and refined sugar may decrease symptoms and is worth trying. The gut's chief purpose is to digest and absorb nutrients.
Studies show that colitis is often associated with a reduction in pancreatic enzyme secretion.
Supplementation with pancreatic enzymes could enable better absorption of many critical nutrients. Successful conventional drug treatments for inflammatory bowel disease include topically active or rapidly metabolized steroids that have fewer long-term side effects than standard steroid drugs. The cancer chemotherapy drug methotrexate can promote remission in approximately 50 percent of patients, but is less effective in maintaining remission. Cyclosporin is valuable for treating patients with severe ulcerative colitis, but is less valuable for patients with Crohn's disease. In patients with distal colitis, lignocaine appears to be effective.