Stress and the gastrointestinal system

Who has never suffered from tummy ache during or after a stressful situation? This is a common symptom but quite unpleasant. The digestive system is not a priority when our body is responding to stress, as it needs to mobilize energy elsewhere to cope with the situation. But stress has many effects on the gastrointestinal functions:

  • Modification of the appetite

  • Change in digestive tract movement, with inhibition of the stomach emptying and acceleration of the colonic movement

  • Modification of the intestinal permeability and stomach secretion

  • Increase of the response of the gastrointestinal system to inflammation

On the long-term, stress can alter the physiology of the intestine and cause deleterious effects. Many inflammatory diseases have been linked to chronic stress, including the irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or ulcers.

In recent years, research on the gut-brain axis has been booming, highlighting the important role of the gut microbiome in psychological disorders, such as depression or anxiety. Even if further studies are required to better characterize the underlying mechanisms, the bidirectional interactions between the brain and the gastrointestinal system are now proven to play a key role in maintaining brain health and stress response and give promising approaches for the development of new therapeutic strategies.