Gut health is a vital part of overall health and well-being that every individual needs to be mindful of to improve their quality of life. However, there are some issues related to gut health that affect women in particular, which demand special attention.
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Taking to Instagram on June 14, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained in AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, listed five such issues and explained why one needs to take them seriously.
1. Iron deficiency without an obvious reason
The deficiency of iron in the body is one of the most common deficiency diseases in women. It can have multiple causes, including heavy flow during menstruation. However, if a woman experiences iron deficiency without any clear indication of why that is taking place, their gut needs to be investigated.
In Dr Sethi’s words, “Iron deficiency without an obvious cause needs a gut investigation. Unexplained low iron in women (without heavy periods) can be the first sign of silent gut inflammation, celiac disease, or early colon cancer.”
2. Effect of chronic stress
According to Dr Sethi, chronic stress affects the gut health of females more severely than most people realise. “Women have a more sensitive gut-brain axis,” he shared. “Anxiety, trauma, and sustained stress physically alter gut bacteria composition and motility in ways that are measurable and real.”
3. Silent colon cancer symptoms
Not all symptoms of colon cancer are textbook. Some symptoms creep in over time and are dismissed for long periods. “Colon cancer symptoms in women are dismissed far longer than in men,” noted the gastroenterologist.
“Fatigue, cramping, and bowel changes in younger women are attributed to periods, stress, or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome),” he added. Meanwhile, the cancer grows the entire time nobody is looking.
4. Effects of perimenopause and menopause
Perimenopause and menopause are periods during which the female body undergoes significant biological changes. Those changes also impact the gut in ways one is not prepared for, noted Dr Sethi.
“Declining estrogen slows gut transit, reduces microbiome diversity, and increases constipation,” he shared. “Your gut health strategy must evolve as your hormones do.”
5. Waiting longer to seek help
According to Dr Sethi, women usually wait longer than men to seek help for gut-related symptoms. This habit often ends up costing them.
“Normalising pain, irregularity, and bloating as just part of female hormones is one of the most dangerous things I see in my clinic every single week. On average, it takes about 6.6 years for women to get an IBS diagnosis,” stated the gastroenterologist.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
