Five key signs of stress in your gut you shouldn't ignore – from bloating to weight gain

Your efforts to help improve your gut health could be derailed by something as simple as stress without you even realising it – these are five key symptoms to look out for

There's been a surge in people trying to sort out their gut health as this can help improve lots of different aspects of your wellbeing, including energy levels, mental health and weight control.

Gut health is a two way street though as our mental wellbeing can impact how your belly performs, with stress causing symptoms that appear to be issues with your body rather than your mind.

Claire Barnes, a nutritional therapist at Bio-Kult, recommends taking note when your digestive issues flare up to see if there is a pattern with your stress levels.

She shared the five key signs that you are stressed, according to your gut.

Heartburn

Nearly a quarter of us get heartburn at least once a month

Re-occurring or unexpected heartburn could be an indicator that you are stressed but may also cause more anxiety in the long run.

"Heartburn has been linked to stress," explained Claire, and "evidence suggests that 25% of the general population is said to experience heartburn at least once per month".

Historically, heartburn was thought to be linked to excessive stomach acid, but new theories suggest the opposite, that low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) could be to blame.

Stomach acid defends against "pathogenic microbes entering the intestines" so if you have low stomach acid it allows these microbes in and could lead to too much harmful bacteria growing. This can stop your body absorbing nutrients like vitamin B 12 , folate, iron, calcium and zinc.

The nutritional therapist added: "Deficiencies of these nutrients could lead to changes in the pattern of brain chemical neurotransmitter production and potentially increase stress and anxiety."

Bloating

Bloating is a common side effect experienced when your gut is unhappy

Almost a third of us are affected by bloating, especially around our time of the month, but many people also note experiencing bloating when they feel stressed or anxious.

Claire said: "This is not surprising as when the nervous system is activated in times of stress, blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system.

"This may result in more undigested foods in the intestines and a slower transit to the bowel, potentially causing inflammation and becoming a food source for our less desirable gut bacteria which may generate more gas."

She recommends taking a "shot of diluted apple cider vinegar" before tucking into your meal to increase stomach acidity which will help your digestion of food. Even better if you choose a shot with healthy bacteria to "gain the beneficial microbes".

"Ensure that you are feeling relaxed before eating and take time away from all distractions so you can concentrate fully on the meal in front of you and take your time to chew well," added Claire.

Bowel motility

"Psychological stress is known to cause bowel dysfunction," said the nutritionist, who acknowledges that there can be lots of factors impacting bowel motility, which is a fancy phrase for how quickly your body gets rid of waste.

Claire added: "Evidence suggests that stress can lead to an altered gut microbiota (the bacteria in your gut) resulting in increased inflammation". Eventually this can lead to bowel dysfunction, such as chronic diarrhoea or constipation.

Constipation can be triggered by the overgrowth of "harmful microbes" in the gut, which make chemicals to slow stool down - or bad gut microbes can have the opposite effect and cause diarrhoea due to high levels of serotonin.

"Studies have shown that serotonin levels are high in individuals suffering with diarrhoea," explained the expert. "Serotonin can speed up the muscular movements within the digestive tract to move contents through quicker and excrete them from the body.

"This is useful [for] infection, however, if you regularly suffer with diarrhoea this can reduce your absorption of nutrients and leave you dehydrated.

"Regularly consuming fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, live yoghurt, and kombucha can help to improve the balance and diversity of your gut microbiota. Increasing fibre intake (vegetables, fruits, nuts, and wholegrains) and drinking plenty of water through the day can also help to improve bowel movements."

Weight gain

Simply being stressed could cause you to gain weight

"Evidence is mounting that stress and an increase of the stress hormone, cortisol, plays a role in obesity," said Claire.

This means your efforts to lose weight or just maintain your current weight could be toppled by stress, especially if you're stress-eating.

She explained: "Cortisol is known to cause a redistribution of fat cells to the abdominal region whilst also increasing appetite, particularly with cravings towards 'comfort foods'."

So when you're stressed you might eat more, especially comfort foods which are often less healthy, but your body will also focus more fat cells on your stomach too.

Claire added: "Stress can also have an impact on sleep patterns, often leading to poor impaired sleep. Lack of sleep can further contribute to weight gain as research suggests individuals who report fewer total hours of sleep are more likely to be overweight or obese."

IBS

IBS is a chronic condition but can be made worse by stress

IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a complex illness which can be hard to pinpoint triggers for, as they vary from person to person. However, Claire believes stress could be a potential cause for the condition or at the very least be a main trigger for setting off symptoms.

"Evidence now suggests that IBS may have developed from disruption of the gut microbiota, suggesting that the condition may actually begin in the gut," said Claire.

"Symptoms of IBS vary with each individual; two of the reported symptoms are bloating and abdominal pain or cramps, which are often relieved when passing a stool.

"Recent findings have further linked the gut microbiota to abdominal pain," she added, which could mean that good gut bacteria help control pain sensitivity.

According to Claire, some studies have shown that live bacteria supplements might play a role in regulating pain disorders in your stomach.