According to the International Science and Health Foundation’s Cortisol Gut Project, elevated cortisol levels due to stress cause inflammation in the body, leading to constipation, diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, and bloating. Stress can occur at any time in people’s lives, setting the stage for an imbalanced microbiome. One study published in the research journal Stress indicated that an infant’s microbiome diversity is impaired by stress. So you can imagine that a lifetime of stress makes for altered immunity, disrupted gut function, and many health problems along the way.

A compendium published in the NEJM Journal Watch Gastroenterology determined that gastrointestinal diseases account for $136 billion per year in medical costs, which is more than is spent on heart disease, traumas, or mental health. Abdominal pain alone is responsible for the majority of visits to the doctor and the emergency room.

How Cortisol Damages the Gut

It is impossible for people to have a healthy gut if they are in a constant flight-or-fight state due to elevated stress and cortisol, one result of which is a reduction in the production of the neurotransmitter called serotonin. Decreased serotonin levels cause the gut to alter the function of gut neurons, smooth muscle cells, and gut epithelial cells.

Decreased serotonin levels can also lead to inflammation and gut disorders. Specifically, it increases the risk of both constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome as well as functional constipation.

Cortisol also drives up inflammation throughout the body, causing all sorts of leaky gut symptoms, according to The Healthy RD. Finally, excess cortisol can trigger acid reflux, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and abdominal pain.

Can You Heal Cortisol Gut?

A cornerstone of healing the gut due to excess cortisol includes managing stress. Unfortunately, daily stressors exist whether we like it or not and this stress doesn’t just disappear for most people. Luckily, lifestyle changes and key healing herbs can help people recover from Cortisol Gut. Research shows that probiotic foods can help manage gut symptoms, but this often isn’t enough to fix all the digestive issues people have.

Cortisol Busters & Serotonin Boosters

Nutrients may also play a role in managing Cortisol Gut symptoms. For example, B-vitamins, including vitamin B6, vitamin B9 (folate), and vitamin B12, are essential for neurotransmitter production, including serotonin and dopamine. They also play a critical role in energy metabolism and stress regulation.

Magnesium can help manage the body’s stress response by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. By helping regulate stress, magnesium also supports serotonin production and has been linked to improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and better digestive motility. 

Another natural compound called L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, promotes relaxation without drowsiness by lowering cortisol levels and increasing alpha brain waves. This relaxing amino acid supports serotonin, dopamine, and GABA activity, which can have a positive effect on mood and gut function.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a phospholipid that supports brain health and is naturally found in organ meats, egg yolks, and legumes. Known for its ability to blunt cortisol spikes, PS helps maintain a healthy HPA axis function that may improve mood, cognitive performance, and resilience to stress.

An estimated 80% of the world’s population uses herbal medicine as part of their primary care treatment. Many of these herbs may be useful in addressing Cortisol Gut symptoms. Saffron (Crocus sativus) helps to delay cortisol release and reduce the stress response, while Rhodiola rosea helps increase serotonin and dopamine availability, improving mood and cognitive function while buffering against burnout. Turmeric (curcumin) has been shown to lower cortisol levels and support a healthy stress response. Curcumin also boosts serotonin and dopamine while enhancing gut health by reducing intestinal inflammation and promoting beneficial gut bacteria.

One herb that has received significant research attention related to stress and cortisol is ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) — and for good reason. Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce the stress hormone cortisol in clinical trials. This healing herb has also been shown to increase serotonin levels. By increasing serotonin, ashwagandha helps heal Cortisol Gut by enhancing gut muscle movements, reducing inflammatory compounds, and more. A meta-analysis of nine clinical studies concluded that ashwagandha reduces cortisol levels, as well as stress and anxiety.

Further, two research studies have shown that when ashwagandha is combined with tender okra pods, the two plant extracts have synergistic effects for the body and mind. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a healing plant used worldwide. This popular medicinal plant has diverse benefits for the gut. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, okra reduced inflammation while also improving blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Early research also showed that okra decreases inflammation in the body, especially the gut, by increasing the gut-healing probiotic called Akkermansia.

Okra modulates inflammation through its polyphenols and mucilage. It also contains both lysine and tryptophan, in addition to a healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.

Research demonstrates that okra also helps support immune function. By enhancing proper immune function, okra likely helps with gut function, as the gut is where the majority of the immune system resides. When okra is combined with ashwagandha, the synergistic benefits for healing the gut can’t be denied.

Synergistic Okra and Ashwagandha: Healing Cortisol Gut

The digestive tract is complex, so a multi-faceted approach to tackling Cortisol Gut would be expected to work better than a singular approach. This is because the gut-cortisol connection is complex. Two compelling double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies highlight how well the combination of okra and ashwagandha work together.

The first of these studies was conducted in 48 participants with functional constipation — defined by less than three bowel movements weekly, stools that are hard to pass, straining, incomplete evacuation, and sometimes the need for manual removal of fecal matter.

A combination of ashwagandha and okra (Digexin) was given at 300 mg, 500 mg, or placebo daily for 14 days for the participants with functional constipation. The results of this study demonstrated that ashwagandha and tender okra pods ameliorated all constipation symptoms and increased serotonin by day 7 of the study. This combination also reduced cortisol and inflammation markers compared to placebo. In addition, it improved sleep quality and reduced symptoms of stress.

A larger double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 135 people with functional constipation received the same dosing options of okra and ashwagandha for 60 days. Gut symptoms were significantly improved by most of the study participants by day 7, and they had a reduction in cortisol, thus alleviating the Cortisol Gut spectrum of symptoms.

The symptoms that improved were frequency of bowel movements, improvements in complete evacuation, reduced abdominal pain, and increased quality of life. Lab testing also revealed that zonulin and gastrin production increased to help heal the gut. Serotonin also increased in the supplement group compared to the placebo group. An important feature of this supplement combination is that it has no side effects compared to many pharmaceutical treatments that can often cause adverse effects.

Summary

At the root of constipation and digestive symptoms often lies cortisol-induced gut dysfunction. Digestive issues, including abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation, are proving to respond well to herbal and nutraceutical combinations because the root cause is often related to stress and excess cortisol, as well as low levels of serotonin and high histamine levels. By using nutritional and herbal strategies, people may get relief from the damaging alterations in gut chemicals and gut symptoms due to stress. These are very promising strategies for addressing the root causes of Cortisol Gut.

About the Author: Heidi Moretti, MS, RD is The Healthy RD. A registered dietitian for 25 years as well as a book author of the new bestselling book Period Fix and Gut Fix and The Whole Body Guide to Gut Health, she has a passion for functional nutrition and natural medicine. She has researched supplements and natural medicine throughout her career.  One of her biggest loves is helping people gain function and vitality by tackling the root causes of illness.