How the gut affects your brain

A poorly functioning gut has been linked to mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. This is because our brain depends on nutrients, hormones, and other special signaling molecules that (in many cases) can only be made by the bacteria in the gut (4). 

Take serotonin for example, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of wellbeing. The vast majority of this feel-good chemical—about 70-90 percent— is made in the gut, and then travels to the brain (5). If there’s not enough serotonin produced in the gut, you may not have enough in the brain to calm anxious thoughts and feelings.

Predictably, IBS patients are more likely to have anxiety or other mental health issues. In one study, the prevalence of anxiety in patients with IBS was 44%, and that of depression was 84%. In healthy controls, the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 8% and 6%, respectively (6).

Related: Heal Your Gut Naturally for Better Health & Immune Function

IBS can also worsen other mental health issues

Irritable bowel syndrome can affect a person’s mental and emotional health for obvious reasons like dealing with GI discomfort during important events, or needing to quickly locate a restroom at an inconvenient time. Dealing with these circumstances alone is enough to make even the most iron-willed person a little rattled.

But IBS symptoms themselves aren’t the only factor creating stress in the body. 

Inflammation produced in the gut has been shown to affect the brain. The gut microbiota affects various cells in the central nervous system, including microglia, which reside in the brain. Recent studies have shown that microglia are sensitive to factors produced by the gut microbiota (7).

Inflammatory signals that can harm brain cells and increase inflammation in the brain are known as neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation has been linked to an array of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and even Alzheimer’s disease (8).

People with IBS may be more sensitive to emotional troubles

Although psychological problems like anxiety don’t directly cause the digestive disorder, intense emotions like stress and anxiety trigger chemicals in the brain that cause receptors in your gut to be hypersensitive to the body’s stress response. 

For some people, it may be difficult to ‘turn off’ this hypersensitivity that results from psychological stress in your environment.

In order to treat IBS, you must address stress

There’s a large body of evidence showing that IBS is a stress-sensitive disorder, and that the treatment of IBS “should focus on managing stress and stress-induced responses” (3). In fact, many people report an increase in stress just before experiencing a flare up of IBS symptoms.

This is why it’s so important to treat IBS (and any digestive disorder) in a holistic way, and with an integrative approach.

How can I stop anxiety-induced IBS?

First, it’s helpful to identify the key stressors in your life. Because these will differ between individuals, and in some cases be things you didn’t expect to cause you so much stress. Try keeping a log of symptoms in addition to what else occurred that day (i.e. a big financial stress, a fight with a significant other, etc.). This establishes a pattern to identify connections between GI symptoms and how you’re feeling emotionally.

Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can take steps to manage stress. Because of the brain gut connection, this may lead to an improvement in IBS symptoms or fewer flare-ups.

Tips to reduce stress and anxiety related to IBS

• Try stress-reducing activities, like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, or breathing exercises.
• Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Get into a good nighttime routine by going to bed at roughly the same time each night, reducing screen time before bed, and keeping your room dark & cool.
• Talk with your doctor to develop a plan for when you experience flare-ups. This can decrease the stressfulness of the situation somewhat.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Water supports healthy digestion. Aim for about 8, 8 oz glasses of water per day, and more if you’re active.
• Cut down on caffeine, and other gut irritants like alcohol, which stimulate or inflame the gut.
• Avoid fried or fatty foods.

• Avoid foods that are known triggers for you – this might include dairy, beans, gluten, or a lot of high-fiber foods.
• Get plenty of pre- and probiotics in your diet, including fermented vegetables, kefir, yogurt, or take a high-quality probiotic supplement.
• Know the benefits and risks of different symptom-relieving medications. Your doctor can help you decide when to rely on a little extra support.

Talk with an integrative medicine physician who has experience with IBS

While we can’t know what causes each and every case of IBS, we do know that there is a significant link between stress, anxiety, and IBS. When your brain sends signals that trigger hypersensitivity in your gut, you may experience new or worsening IBS symptoms. The best way to deal with these flare ups proactively is the actively manage stress. 

In fact, many scientists and doctors believe that you can’t successfully treat IBS without addressing the body’s stress response. Numerous stress-reducing practices are effective for not only reducing stress but also providing relief from IBS symptoms. If you’re struggling with IBS, talk with an experienced integrative medicine doctor who can help you find relief from your symptoms.

Resources 

1. https://gut.bmj.com/content/51/suppl_1/i67
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879825/ 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4202343/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/  
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5526216/ 
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5733421/ 
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6314531
8. https://translationalneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40035-020-00221-2