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Treating chronic stress and chronic pain by manipulating gut microbiota with diet: can we kill two birds with one stone?
Chronic stress and chronic pain are closely interconnected, each worsening the other, and both share common pathways in the brain and gut. This overlap makes it crucial to develop therapeutic strategies that address both conditions to support mental health in affected individuals. Diet, being a modifiable lifestyle factor, plays a significant role in gut-brain axis disorders, and there is a growing interest in using diet as a supplementary treatment alongside primary therapies. There is considerable evidence demonstrating the positive effects of certain diets and nutrients on chronic stress-related disorders and pain. Consuming an adequate daily intake of foods rich in micronutrients such as amino acids, vitamins, and minerals while reducing processed foods can benefit gut health and the microbiota. Numerous nutrients have immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and prebiotic qualities, making them useful for treating chronic pain and stress. Dietary approaches such as intermittent fasting and caloric restriction show promise, although further research is needed to tailor these methods to individual patient factors like medical history, age, and sex. Additionally, supporting gut health through diet can help reduce comorbidities like obesity, gastrointestinal issues, and mood disorders, ultimately lowering healthcare costs related to chronic stress and pain. The most recent research on the advantages of macro- and micronutrients connected to microbiota, dietary variables, particular dietary regimens, and dietary treatments for the management of various illnesses is included in this review by Costa & Lucarini (2024). [NPID: Chronic stress, chronic pain, gut-brain axis, micronutrients, amino acids, vitamins, inflammation, intermittent fasting, gut health]
Year: 2024
