What Are the Consequences of Poor Digestive Health? | Austin Gastroenterology (2024)

Did you know that your digestive system is the gateway to your overall health? In fact, 70 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, which needs regular, healthy food intake to support your overall health.

Spanning all the way from the mouth to the rectum, the digestive system is a highly complex and wide-ranging part of the human body. It is responsible for many crucial functions, including breaking down the foods that we eat into energy, absorbing vital nutrients, and getting rid of waste.

It stands to reason that it is vital to maintain good digestive health. Neglecting your digestive health can contribute to the onset of a variety of acute and chronic medical problems, including the following:

Gastric Problems

Gas, bloating, constipation, cramping, diarrhea, and heartburn are all signs of an unhealthy digestive system. They indicate difficulties in digestion and eliminating waste from the body.

Persistent or chronic gastric problems are symptoms of underlying chronic digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Unintentional Weight Gain

Poor digestive health can damage your body’s ability to absorb vital nutrients, store fat, and regulate blood sugar levels, causing you to gain or lose weight involuntarily.

A study published in the journalNutrition Todayin July 2016 demonstrated that consumption of a Western-style diet loaded with fat and refined carbohydrates may promote intestinal bacteria overgrowth, which is linked to obesity.

Chronic Fatigue

Serotonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle, is produced in your gut. It causes contractions that stimulate digestion.

If your digestive system isn’t functioning the way it should, it could impair your ability to sleep well, causing insomnia and chronic fatigue.

Skin Conditions

Gut inflammation, which is a symptom of inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD), can result in a leakage of proteins in the body that could cause skin irritation and other skin conditions, namely eczema.

Food Intolerances and Allergies

Studies suggest that food intolerances are a potential result of having poor quality of bacteria in the digestive tract. This can lead to distressing symptoms, such as bloating, gas, abdominal cramping or pain, and nausea. There is also scientific evidence that establishes the connection between food allergies and poor gut health.

Digestive Health Care in Greater Austin, TX

At Austin Gastroenterology, we have more than 30 board-certified gastroenterologists who are all equipped and dedicated to delivering the highest quality of patient-focused diagnostic, preventative, and medical care. We will be happy to provide you with comprehensive patient education, which we believe will have a significant impact on the way you manage your digestive health.

To schedule a consultation with one of our dedicated GI doctors, call our clinic nearest you or use our convenient online appointment request form.

What Are the Consequences of Poor Digestive Health? | Austin Gastroenterology (2024)

FAQs

What Are the Consequences of Poor Digestive Health? | Austin Gastroenterology? ›

Consequences of Poor Digestive Health

What are the consequences of digestive problems? ›

Digestive diseases are a common and costly problem in the United States. They can cause various symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Left untreated, they can lead to serious complications, such as malnutrition, dehydration, and even death.

What happens if you have a poor digestive system? ›

When your gut is imbalanced, your body may struggle to absorb nutrients, store fat, and regulate blood sugar. Weight loss or gain may be caused by bacteria overgrowth or lack of nutrients. You have skin irritations. Some skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis may be related to gut issues.

What are the consequences of not caring for the digestive system? ›

Poor digestive health can damage your body's ability to absorb vital nutrients, store fat, and regulate blood sugar levels, causing you to gain or lose weight involuntarily.

What could poor digestive health lead to? ›

digestive symptoms – such as gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and heartburn. sleep disturbances or fatigue. mood/emotional state – such as high stress, low mood or anxiety. high frequency of infectious illnesses – such as the common cold.

What happens to your digestive system when you don t eat enough? ›

In fact, research shows malnutrition and weight loss from undereating can slow down the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can cause general GI dysfunction, as well as issues like gastroparesis (or slowed movement or motility of stomach muscles), constipation, reflux, heartburn, bloating, and diarrhea.

What are 3 things that can go wrong with the digestive system? ›

Common digestive disorders include gastroesophageal reflux disease, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance and hiatal hernia.

What causes poor digestion? ›

Lifestyle factors, like your diet, whether you use tobacco, and your level of stress are linked to chronic digestive problems. Abdominal surgery can also wreak havoc on your digestive system. Most people develop abdominal adhesions after surgery, which are composed of scar-like tissue bands.

What are the negative effects of the digestive system? ›

The most common symptoms of digestive disorders include bleeding, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, pain, nausea and vomiting.

What happens if your digestive system stops working? ›

Gastroparesis can result in some problems, including: Bacteria growth, if food stays in your stomach for too long and ferments. Serious dehydration, if you can't keep fluids down. A blockage of your small intestine, when food hardens into a solid lump called a bezoar and stops food from passing from your stomach.

How does the digestive system affect the body? ›

Your digestive system breaks nutrients into parts small enough for your body to absorb and use for energy, growth, and cell repair.

What are the effects of bad gut health? ›

digestive symptoms – such as gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and heartburn. sleep disturbances or fatigue. mood/emotional state – such as high stress, low mood or anxiety. high frequency of infectious illnesses – such as the common cold.

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