What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to evaluate dietary and nutraceutical interventions for managing functional dyspepsia and their mechanisms.

April 7, 2026Open Access

Dietary and nutraceutical interventions for functional dyspepsia: A narrative review

APAndrea PastaOspedale Policlinico San Martino EFElena FormisanoOspedale Policlinico San Martino FCFrancesco CalabreseOspedale Policlinico San Martino

Key Points

The aim is to evaluate dietary and nutraceutical interventions for managing functional dyspepsia and their mechanisms.
Narrative review of existing meta-analyses, randomized trials, and observational studies.
Assessment of dietary modifications including meal frequency and texture adjustments.
Review of specific nutraceutical agents and their effects on FD symptoms.
Small, regular, lower-fat meals help reduce FD symptoms.
Low-FODMAP diets show effectiveness in select patients, especially those with bloating.
Nutraceuticals like peppermint–caraway and ginger demonstrate symptomatic relief.

Abstract

Abstract Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent disorder of gut–brain interaction. Commonly, meals may exacerbate FD symptoms like postprandial fullness, early satiation, epigastric pain, and nausea. We narratively synthesize meta-analyses, randomized trials, and observational evidence to outline mechanism-based dietary and nutraceutical options. Evidence favors small, regular, lower-fat meals and adjusting texture/osmolarity to minimize gastric distension. In selected phenotypes—particularly postprandial distress with bloating—a brief, dietitian-supervised low-FODMAP trial with staged reintroduction can define personal thresholds. Among nutraceuticals, peppermint–caraway, ginger, STW-5, curcumin, and selected probiotics show benefit, with melatonin and barrier-forming agents promising in subsets, while safety remains product-specific.

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