Stomach problems may have nothing to do with eating habits, scientists reveal why
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In addition to taking an emotional toll, childhood stress and difficulties can also wreak havoc on the digestive system.
New research published in the journal Gastroenterology revealed that early experiences can rewire the body and lead to lifelong stomach problems.
Scientists at New York University focused on the communication between the brain and the gut and found that when a child experiences significant stress, this connection is disrupted.
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This alteration can manifest years later as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic stomach pain or motility problems such as constipation and diarrhea.
“Our research shows that these stressors can have a real impact on a child’s development and can influence long-term gut problems,” study author Kara Margolis, a professor at New York University, said in a news release.
The presence of flagellin antibodies long before symptoms appear suggests that the immune reaction may help trigger the disease rather than being a result of it. (iStock)
“When the brain is affected, the gut is likely to be affected as well – the two systems communicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he added.
The study analyzed animal models and long-term data from more than 40,000 children in Denmark and 12,000 in the US.
The researchers found that mice subjected to stress early in life showed higher levels of anxiety and intestinal pain. The mice’s symptoms varied by sex, with females being more prone to diarrhea and males to constipation.
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Children whose mothers had depression during or after pregnancy, or those who had a more emotionally difficult childhood, were more likely to develop digestive disorders as early as age 10, the researchers noted.
Children who had a more difficult childhood were more likely to develop digestive organs as early as 10 years old. (iStock)
Unlike mouse studies, human data showed no differences between men and women in digestive outcomes, suggesting that early stress can affect gut and brain health in both sexes during key stages of development.
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The results show how symptoms are controlled by different “pathways” in the body, doctors said. For example, the nerves responsible for bowel movement are separate from the pathways that control bowel pain.
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This means there is no single cure for intestinal problems, the team said. If a patient has pain but no motility problems, they would need different treatment than someone who has constipation but no pain.
By identifying these specific biological triggers, scientists say they are moving toward more personalized treatments that target the root cause of a patient’s symptoms.
The team says these results are evidence that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to gut problems. (iStock)
“When patients come in with gut problems, we shouldn’t just ask them if they’re stressed right now; what happened in their childhood is also a really important question and something we need to consider,” Margolis said.
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“This developmental history could ultimately inform how we understand how some disorders of gut-brain interaction develop and how we treat them based on specific mechanisms.”
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle production assistant at News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of topics including food and drink, travel and health.