It's Stress Impact our Gut-Microbiome?
Whilst humans have evolved in many ways over the course of history, our stress response has not. Believe it or not, our bodies can’t distinguish between a physical threat (ie. running away from a tiger) and emotional stress (ie. a bad argument with your partner or a stressful period at work.) When the stress response is activated, biomarkers like heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar will rise to prime us for movement. Stress will also divert blood flow towards the heart and muscles, and away from our central organs, including the digestive system. This response is supposed to be fleeting, not chronic. When our bodies continue to respond to chronic stress, it can lead to a host of health issues and can have a particularly damaging effect on our gut health.
Unfortunately, this state of chronic stress is more common than not. A 2018 survey of over 4500 healthy adults in the UK revealed that 74% of people experience immense stress, so much so that in the past year, it left them feeling overwhelmed and/or unable to cope (1). There were clear gender differences as well; 81% of women said this compared to 67% of men.
What happens to our gut under chronic stress? A lot. Here are three things you need to know.
Digestion is Compromised
Let’s start with the stomach. Whilst acute stress can increase gastric secretions, chronic stress can reduce them, which affects the acidic environment of the stomach. These gastric secretions are important; they create an acidic environment to combat any ingested pathogens, activate digestive enzymes, and help break down food. If we have insufficient stomach acid, food may not be broken down as efficiently, which can lead to indigestion, reflux, constipation and bloating. It can also impair nutrient absorption. There’s a behavioural aspect to chronic stress that compounds this effect, eating too much, too quickly, with insufficient chewing. This, combined with a lack of digestive priming from gastric secretions, can lead to long term bloating and discomfort.
Gut Permeability Problems
‘Leaky gut’ – the colloquial phrase for increased intestinal permeability – can be brought on by chronic stress. Our gut lining is naturally semi-permeable, and naturally provides a barrier to support nutrient absorption. It selectively allows the passage of amino acids, carbohydrates, electrolytes, lipids, and water through the gut barrier, whilst protecting us from toxins and bacteria. But excess cortisol can cause an increase in this permeability by directly acting on the intestinal lining. Stress creates an inflammatory response, which activates immune cells, which can cause inflammation in the intestinal barrier. When our gut lining is compromised it influences bacterial translocation and can also allow food particles to escape into the bloodstream, which brings on a whole host of issues. Over time, this can lead to a weakened immune system, lots of food intolerances, skin issues, fatigue, headaches, brain fog and inflammation.
The Microbiome is Altered
Chronic stress can even have negative effects on the health of the microbiota. Studies have shown that it triggers a reduction of Lactobacillus bacteria and overall bacterial composition. This means that the perception of stress in the brain can lead to dysbiosis in the gut. The chemical byproducts and compounds created by this dysbiotic state can consequently impact our metabolism, inflammatory status, and of course, feedback to our brain to alter our emotional state even further. This can be a scary thought, but also an empowering one, because learning to manage stress can also potentially help shape the microbiome favourably.
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