The Unexpected Connection Between Stress and Bloating

After a meal that is particularly rich, we all feel bloated. A third of Americans experience chronic bloating, and that is not just for occasional bloating. [1]. So what’s behind this symptom when it’s more frequent?

If you’ve been going through a lot more stress than usual lately, you may have noticed a worsening in your symptoms. And you wouldn’t be wrong, as the research shows that increased stress can worsen bloating and stomach distention.

There is a strong link between stress and IBS symptoms, such as bloating. This could be due to stress altering the gut microbiota leading to dysbiosis/bacterial overgrowth. These changes in gut flora can lead to increased gas production and inflammation within the GI tract. Bloating is a common symptom of inflammation.

Stomach bloating can be reduced by changing one’s diet, lifestyle and following supplemental recommendations. This article will explain the causes of stomach bloating, as well as provide step-by-step guidance to help you manage this unpleasant symptom.

Can Stress Cause Bloating?

Stress can cause disruptions in the normal microbiome of your gut, leading to intestinal dysbiosis or bacterial overgrowth. Bloating and other digestive symptoms can result from these changes. This may be due in part to excess gas production that may cause the sensation of bloating and physical distention, though the exact mechanism hasn’t been confirmed by research.

It is also possible that stress can cause a greater perception of bloating. However, the reason for this is still not clear. [2]. Inflammation in the digestive tract is a common cause of stress, leading to more distress and bloating.

What is Bloating?

Bloating can be described as the subjective sensation of gas or pressure in the abdomen. It’s important to note that this is different from distention, which refers to the physical expansion of the abdomen [1]. But, many people experience both bloating and abdominal distention. [1].

Bloating could be a symptom in itself without any other signs or symptoms. It can also be accompanied by other GI disorders such as:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) [1]
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). [3]
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). [1, 2, 4, 5]
• Chronic constipation [1]
• Indigestion and dyspepsia [1]
• Exocrine pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). [1, 2, 6, 7]
• Gastroparesis [1, 2]
• Gallbladder dysfunction [8]
• Stomach ulcers [9]
• Chronic overeating [5]

Flatulence, bloating, belching, distention, and occasional bloating are all normal aspects of digestive physiology. These symptoms typically aren’t considered a problem until they begin to cause pain and/or disrupt your daily life.

Let’s take a look at some cases where this can occur.

Stress and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is a common digestive disorder that causes bloating, abdominal distention, and other symptoms. One study found that all patients with diagnosed IBS, regardless of the subtype, experience more sensations of bloating than healthy controls. Nearly half of IBS patients also experienced abdominal distention. [10].

Research has shown that IBS symptoms can be linked to stress. Chronic stress is often associated with IBS symptoms such as:

• Gas, bloating and abdominal distention
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Cramping

IBS sufferers tend to be more susceptible to mental health disorders. Studies show that IBS sufferers experience higher levels anxiety, depression, and distress compared with the general population. [11]. Additionally, people with IBS tend to have higher levels of stress and a lower quality of life [12]. Functional medicine is a treatment that can treat IBS. It offers some relief from IBS-related mood disturbances.

While we’re unsure of the exact mechanism by which stress increases symptoms of IBS, studies show that stressors alter the microbial balance and production of gut flora metabolites. The gut-brain link explains how this alteration in microbiome causes physiological changes to the brain. [13].

When the brain creates a stress response, chemical messengers—like stress hormones and neurotransmitters—travel down the gut-brain axis and can cause hypersensitivity in the gut. Research has shown that IBS patients may actually have less gas production than those in healthy populations. It’s likely a hypersensitivity reaction in the enteric nervous system that leads to increased sensations of bloating [14].

Regardless of the exact mechanism, there appears to be a strong correlation between IBS symptoms and stress.

Bloating Additional GI Conditions

Because of the communication between the digestive system and the brain, stress likely increases symptoms of bloating and abdominal distention in other functional GI disorders.

For example, as stress can cause dysbiosis in the digestive tract, it’s likely a major contributing factor in the development of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Chronic stress can also cause bloating in exocrine pancreatic dysfunction and histamine intolerance, which are both common conditions. [15, 16].

Food intolerances and allergies commonly present with bloating and are another example of how stress affects the GI tract [17, 18]. A misguided immune response in the stomach can lead to sensitivities, such as wheat intolerance or gluten intolerance. These sensitivities can also be caused by stress, which causes inflammation and an abnormal immune reaction in the digestive system.

Bloating may also be caused by other factors

Abdominal bloating and distention can also be a sign of other chronic health conditions. This can be due to underlying conditions such as:

• Some medications
• Hypothyroidism [1, 2]
• Obesity [1]
• Type-2 diabetes [2]
• Autoimmunity [2, 19, 20]
• Ovarian cysts and menstruation [21, 22, 23]

Stress can trigger musculoskeletal conditions, such as bloating or abdominal distention. Here are two examples.

Abdominal Muscle Dysfunction

The nervous system can create an abnormal sensation of bloating by creating abnormal contractions in the belly and diaphragm muscles after eating. This is an abnormality “viscerosomatic reflex” Bad posture and distention of abdominal muscles can cause bloating sensations and poor posture. [24].

Bloating perceptions may be reduced by exercises that train the muscles to contract normally after eating. [24].

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Stressful situations can cause our muscles and pelvic floor to contract more. These muscles control the function of our bladder, bowel, as well as sexual function. They can become tight and cause high-tone pelvic dysfunction. [25].

However, it is possible for the opposite to happen when the muscles of the pelvic floor become too relaxed. This can make it difficult to maintain regular bowel movements. These can result in a range of symptoms including bloating, increased tone, and over-relaxation. [25].

It’s believed that people with pelvic floor dysfunction likely have disordered gut-brain connections [26]. Biofeedback can be described as a mind/body therapy that helps your body relax and restores the gut-brain axis. Biofeedback was found to reduce bloating in women with pelvic floor dysfunction. [26].

This positive response reinforces the idea that brain and digestive tract are interconnected. Stress appears to increase the risk of bloating because it affects multiple body systems including the digestive, nervous and musculoskeletal.

Your 5-Step Guide to Reducing Stress-Induced Bloating

While much of the following research on relieving stress and GI symptoms was performed on those with IBS, we’ve found the below therapies to be helpful for people with other conditions that result in bloating and abdominal distention.

Step 1: Lifestyle Changes

Stress management: You can reduce stress levels by using stress-reduction techniques “fight or flight response” It is a natural process that occurs during stressful times and can improve your gut health. Meditation, biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and biofeedback all help to reduce stress and alleviate stress-induced bloating [27, 28, 29].

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation that has shown promise in reducing bloating, and overall stress levels. Results may last for as long as six months following MBSR therapy. [30, 31, 32].

Also, gut-directed Hypnotherapy could significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and bloating. These effects could be observed in as little as six sessions [33, 34, 35].

Exercise is great for stress relief, GI issues, and overall well-being. To achieve the best results, you should aim to do moderate activity for at least two to three hours each week. [36]. Activities like:

• Quick walking
• Flat surface for biking
• Water aerobics
• Basketball, volleyball, and many other sports

Yoga can also be used to reduce bloating. It is also well-known for its ability to lower stress levels and anxiety. [37].

Step 2: Change Your Diet

Start with these suggestions elimination diet To heal your gut and reduce inflammation. Also, to identify which foods may be triggering your symptoms.

It is a good place to begin: Paleo diet framework. Paleo is a high-protein, high–fat and low-carbohydrate diet. It can reduce inflammation in the intestinal tract, and may be helpful in eliminating digestive symptoms like distention and bloating. It is a balanced diet that does not restrict any of the common triggers.

You can eliminate common triggers by following the Paleo diet.

• Sugar
• Processed foods
• Other grains and foods that are gluten-free
• Dairy

If, after trying it for two to three weeks, the Paleo diet doesn’t work for you, try switching to a low FODMAP diet. Clinical trials have shown that the Paleo diet is effective. low FODMAP diet It is extremely effective in reducing gas, abdominal pain, and bloating. [38, 39, 40, 41, 42].

You can try the low FODMAP diet for 2 to 3 weeks to see if your symptoms improve. If your symptoms improve, you may not need to keep following a strict low FODMAP diet. This is because 84 percent participants in a study experienced relief from their digestive problems even after reintroducing FODMAP foods. [43]. Long-term FODMAP food restriction can actually make symptoms worse, because it reduces healthy intestinal flora. [44].

It is important to note that everyone’s food triggers may be different and it may take some experimentation to figure out what may be causing your bloating and other GI symptoms.

Once you have eliminated any triggers from your diet you can add foods back in one at a moment. You can try a new food every 2 to 3 days and see if there is any bloating. This will help you identify your gut triggers and not be too restrictive.

Step 3: Introduce Probiotics

Probiotics have high effectiveness At reducing symptoms related to GI disorders such as bloating or abdominal distention [45, 46, 47, 48]. Probiotics are able to help reduce stress-related dysbiosis, and help restore normal gut flora.

Probiotics are a great option for patients suffering from IBS. They can reduce the pain in the abdomen and help with constipation. [48, 49, 50, 51].

It’s important to note that prebiotics, food-based supplements that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, may not offer the same benefits [52].

Step 4: Targeted Supplement and Dietary Treatments

If your bloating and/or stomach distention isn’t solved by dietary and lifestyle changes alone, it may be time for a more targeted approach.

• Supplements: Research suggests that digestive enzymes can help reduce symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain, and flatulence [53, 54]. One enzyme in particular, ɑ-galactosidase, may be beneficial in alleviating colic in children and is considered to be safe [55].
• Intermittent Fasting: One study demonstrated that intermittent fasting can reduce bloating, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and anxiety in IBS sufferers. [56]. Intermittent Fasting is when you stop eating for a specific period of time each morning. Many people start with a 16-hour fasting window, but there are many variations, and you should always do what’s best for you.
• Elemental Diet: Don’t worry if fasting isn’t appropriate for you, as an elemental diet can effectively resolve stubborn IBS-related symptoms, like gas and bloating, in just two to three weeks [57]. The elemental diet has been designed to be easy to digest. It reduces inflammation in your GI tract and improves nutrient absorption. The elemental diet can be combined with other diets or taken as a standalone.
• Medications: Rifaxamin is a popular antibiotic that’s used to treat dysbiosis and infections in the GI tract. It’s considered safe by health care practitioners, as it’s not absorbed into the bloodstream, lessening its side effects. Rifaxamin is very effective in reducing IBS symptoms, especially bloating. It may take up to two weeks for significant results. [58]. Rifaxamin may provide long-term relief for bloating even after the course of antibiotics. [59].

Step 5: Physical Therapy

If you have bloating due to pelvic floor dysfunction, a physical therapist who is trained in pelvic flooring therapy may be able to help. Manual physical therapy can be used to effectively remove adhesions (scar tissues) that constrict the organs, causing abdominal distension and bloating sensations. [60].

As mentioned previously, pelvic floor Biofeedback can help reduce bloating, constipation and overall well-being. [26].

Summary: Can Stress Cause Bloating?

Research supports that stress is a likely cause of bloating in both GI disorders and non-gut-related conditions. The gut-brain connection is a strong channel of communication between the brain, digestive tract and brain. Stress can increase inflammation and dysbiosis.

There are steps you can take to reduce bloating or abdominal distention.

Bloating can be improved by reducing stress, eating right, taking probiotics, using supplements and physical therapy. You can find more information on how to identify and treat chronic bloating as well as improve your digestive health. Contact us today.

Republished from DrRuscio.com.

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