Is Stress Messing With Your Stomach? The Link to IBS - AI Podcast
Story at-a-glance
- Approximately 10% to 15% of Americans suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by unpredictable symptoms that disrupt daily life
- Recent research reveals that psychological stress trains your body to misidentify safe foods as threats. This rewires your immune and nervous systems to produce pain responses in the gut
- Stress increases mast cell activity in the gut, which leads to nerve hypersensitivity and immune system changes that trigger IBS symptoms like bloating, pain, and altered digestion
- When stress becomes chronic, hormones like cortisol and CRF impair digestion, damage the gut lining, and throw off your microbial balance, worsening IBS symptoms
- Managing IBS involves comprehensive lifestyle strategies, including stress reduction techniques like mindfulness, exercise, improving sleep, and supporting gut health through diet and potential supplements
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