Common Issues
What is normal?
Introduction
In May of 2023 a public health survey run by MDVIP and IPSOS revealed that two-thirds of American adults experience unwanted and recurrent gut health symptoms like gas, abdominal pain, bloating, and others, and very few of them seek additional care from their medical doctors. The survey went on to state that most people aren’t aware of the importance of gut health, that the symptoms they experience are abnormal, or there’s likely solutions available to them. More than 50% of those surveyed said they were confused by the deluge of information on diet and nutrition.
Other notable findings from the survey included the following:
women tend to experience symptoms more than men.
younger Americans experience more digestive symptoms with 73% of adults aged 18-44 reporting symptoms more than a few times a month.
2 in 3 Americans are unfamiliar with the term “gut microbiome”.
3 in 5 don’t know that an unhealthy gut can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, dementia, and other diseases.
71% of American’s don’t know antibiotics can kill both the good and bad bacteria in the gut.
and 60% don’t realize that food sensitivities and food allergies are not the same thing.
Bottom line is that the population is plagued by unwanted gut health symptoms. The laundry list of possible contributors to those reasons is long. Maybe it’s genetics. It could possibly be stress or anxiety. Most likely diet is contributing. Perhaps it’s a food allergy. Maybe it’s a food sensitivity. And it could possibly be any number of digestive diseases.
What are the common digestive issues?
Issues with the digestive system can be...
chronic (lasting a long time) or acute (lasting only a short time)
mild or severe
functional or structural
anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
and may include multiple different symptoms that overlap.
From a study of more than 73,000 people in 33 different countries, it is estimated that 4 in 10 adults around the globe suffer from functional GI disorders of varying severity. Prevalence was higher in women than in men and associated with a lower quality of life. And data suggests that GI disorders may be on the rise.
Functional GI diseases:
Functional GI diseases are those in which the GI tract looks normal when examined but doesn’t move properly. More often than not, functional issues affect the colon and rectum. Common functional GI diseases include:
constipation
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
nausea
food poisoning
gas
bloating
GERD (reflux)
diarrhea.
There are several things that can affect the functionality of the gut. These include:
not getting enough exercise
eating a low fiber diet
changes in routine
traveling
eating a high amount of dairy and related products
resisting the urge to have a bowel movement
stress
overuse of anti-diarrheal medications
overusing antacids that contain aluminum, or calcium
taking other medicines (antidepressants, iron, narcotic pain medications)
pregnancy.
Structural GI diseases:
These occur when the gut looks abnormal upon visual inspection and also may not be working properly. Sometimes a structural abnormality is removed surgically, if needed. Examples of structural GI diseases includes:
stenosis (narrowing)
hemorrhoids
stricture (restriction)
diverticular disease
polyps
cancer
and inflammatory bowel disease.
In addition, people may suffer from bacterial overgrowth in the gut, pancreatic insufficiency, low acid in the stomach, microbiome imbalances, and food allergies or intolerances that can cause, affect, or exacerbate the above conditions.
How are gastrointestinal diseases diagnosed?
It’s important to get your symptoms checked related to your GI issues, to identify what’s going on and how your symptoms can be resolved. Symptoms of GI disorders are wide and common, meaning the same symptoms may be present across a number of conditions. These symptoms include (this may not be a comprehensive list):
bleeding in the stool
bloating
constipation
gas
diarrhea
heartburn
abdominal pain
nausea
vomiting
belching.
Many people experience daily gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, pain in the abdomen, blood in stool, abnormally colored stool etc., without ever going to get it checked. Be your own advocate, no one else will do it for you, and get your symptoms reviewed with your doctor! Having these symptoms more often than not is NOT normal!
There are standard imaging tests that can be completed to check for GI diseases. These include ultrasounds, MRIs, CT scans, and x-rays. A barium swallow or enema may be used along with an x-ray to get an even clearer picture of what’s going on. If the doctor needs detailed images or biopsies they may recommend a sigmoidoscopy or upper GI endoscopy. Capsule endoscopies are also available which are much less invasive. In these, a capsule is swallowed that includes a tiny camera, transmitter, and light. As it goes through the GI tract, it takes pictures and transmits them externally.
If you have unwanted gut symptoms more often than not, go visit a doctor. They will be able to guide you towards the tests that are right for you. In addition, consider visiting a gut-health dietitian, they can help you figure out what foods might be contributing to your issues. Help is out there!
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Gastrointestinal Diseases. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7040-gastrointestinal-diseases
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Digestive Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/digestive-disorders
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (n.d.). Digestive Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases
Sperber, A. D., Bangdiwala, S. I., Drossman, D. A., Ghoshal, U. C., Simren, M., Tack, J.,… & Palsson, O. S. (2021). Worldwide Prevalence and Burden of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Results of Rome Foundation Global Study. Gastroenterology, 160, 99-114. Retrieved from https://www.gastrojournal.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0016-5085%2820%2930487-X