Bloating, Constipation, IBS: Nutritionist Explains How Stress Affects Your Gut

Stress is one of those things that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. It can show up as a tight chest, a racing mind, or just feeling completely drained for no obvious reason. Sometimes it comes from work piling up, other times from just life in general. The tricky part is that stress doesn't always go away on its own, and ignoring it usually makes things worse. Nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee has highlighted one lesser-known effect of stress, which is constipation.

"Stress makes you constipated sometimes," Mukerjee said in an Instagram post, explaining that stress can interfere with gut health, which can lead to issues like bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flare ups and poor digestion.

She referred to a study published on PubMed (PMCID: PMC4249634) that noted that "Stress-induced corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) release causes bowel dysfunction by disrupting motility, increasing gut permeability, and altering microbiota composition."

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To counter this problem, she recommended adding soluble fibre, such as oats, chia seeds, psyllium husk, flaxseeds, and fruits, to your diet. Soluble fibre not only improves bowel movement but also supports beneficial gut bacteria and strengthens digestive health.

"Food is not just fuel-it's your first line of defense. Let nutrition be your medicine," she said.

According to a study, when you are under psychological stress, it doesn't only impact your mood but it also shows physical (somatic) symptoms, especially in the stomach and gut.

So, the brain and gut communicate with each other through the HPA axis (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis), which is the body's main stress-response system. When stressed, this axis releases hormones that can affect how the gut works.

Stress also makes the body release a chemical that affects the bowel system, the study revealed.

Earlier, Mukerjee stated that stress is also one of the reasons for the rise in Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. "Because PCOS isn't just hormonal-it's hormonal + lifestyle + stress," she said.

Mukerjee explained that stress makes the body release more cortisol, and when cortisol levels stay high, it can also raise male hormones like testosterone. The nutritionist says that PCOS is all about insulin resistance and high androgen levels.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.